If you’re a Windows mobile user and were jealous to see your friends pay for stuff at the mall with just a touch, then you don’t need to be jealous anymore. Microsoft is finally catching up to the tap-to-pay trend and coming at par with the likes of Apple Pay and Android Pay, who’ve been active for quite some time now.
If you’re a Windows Insider(on mobile) for the Fast Ring and own a Lumia 950, 950 XL and 650, then you are in luck. You can be first ones to experience the new wallet app, that can be used to complete payments with just a tap, using NFC.
The functionality, if you’ve used Android Pay or Apple Pay — will seem very familiar to the former two. Microsoft says in the blogpost that this has been made possible thanks to the feedback of the Insiders. Redmond has partnered with MasterCard and Visa to help you complete your contact-less payments in over a million retail locations.
You just have to pull out your phone, unlock it and bring it close to the shop’s payment terminal. The app will automatically recognize the terminal and complete the payment using NFC. And what’s even more handy that the new Wallet app will also hold your reward and membership coupons, all you have to do is just scan them into the phone.
But, don’t get too excited. The new Wallet app is currently available to users only in the United States. And since it’s an Insider preview application, you shouldn’t expect every feature of the app to run smoothly and provide you with utmost productivity.
There is currently no information on the exact launch date of the new Wallet app, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it arrive alongside the Windows 10 Anniversary Update coming this summer.
Microsoft is a little late to the pay on the go party, while other mobile payment platforms, like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay are currently striving to expand their services to South-east Asia. Samsung has even tied up with AliPay to rival Apple and allow mobile wallet users to easily use their AliPay wallet on Samsung Pay.
