How Samsung Pay Came to Be on the Gear S3

The world is going mobile – and with it, our payments are, too. Mobile payments are the future, and the future is now for countries like the UAE who are at the forefront of the global technology transformation. In line with this, Samsung is constantly innovating to make their customers’ lives simpler, and with the latest and greatest in mobile technologies, they are leading the way towards a cashless society in the UAE. Samsung understands that no one wants to have to scramble for spare change, and with the introduction of Samsung Pay, you never have to.

Taking the convenience and security of Samsung Pay a step further, Samsung has now made it possible to install your mobile wallet right onto your wrist. While wearable payments are only beginning to make waves in the technology landscape, many industry experts believe that wearables will match smartphones as a common payment modality within the next few years due to their on-the-go usability and unmatched accessibility.

By incorporating MST technology on a wearable for the first time, and finding a way to embed both MST and NFC antennas in the Gear S3’s compact body, Samsung has made huge strides towards providing the ultimate convenient mobile payment experience. This process proved to be a challenge on early prototypes, especially when trying to ensure that the smartwatch’s battery was powerful enough to drive the service; but after much perseverance, they found the optimal design. Now, the Gear S3 is as stylish as ever, with even more functionality and ease of use.

Research was imperative throughout the development stages of Samsung Pay for the Gear S3. The team started by collecting countless hours of data from a variety of different shops, which helped them to create a design that enables the Gear S3 to connect to the terminal regardless of the angle in which the user positions the smartwatch. This makes it easy and convenient to use, keeping you from straining your wrist or trying multiple times to make the device connect. 

Just like Samsung Pay on mobile devices, the developers of Samsung Pay for the Gear S3 have made security a top priority. On the Gear S3, Samsung Pay uses the same trusted Samsung Knox security system to protect personal payment information, meaning that each service transaction uses an encrypted digital token to replace a user’s payment information. To further prevent digital pickpockets from RFID skimming, a transaction can only be made by long pressing the dedicated payment button on the side of the Gear S3. In order to enhance convenience and usability, the user only has to enter their PIN once; however, the team added a feature that can detect when you take the watch off of your wrist, and will force you to enter the PIN again once you put the watch back on to ensure that your card information is protected in case the device is lost. If you do happen to lose your watch, you can also easily delete all of your Samsung Pay information via the Find My Mobile website.

With Samsung Pay on the Gear S3, mobile payments are now wearable payments. It’s ideal for the small, on-the-go payments you make on a daily basis when you don’t want to pull out your phone or wallet. The convenience of mobile wallets is redefined by this latest innovation, and as Samsung continues to develop intuitive new technologies, users’ everyday lives will continue to be made simpler and more secure every day.