With the release of Windows 10 Creators Update nearing, Microsoft has now started sharing the finer details (or features) that’ll be available along with the said update. And the latest addition to this already robust and creative arsenal is a Payment Request API, which should enable users to directly check out and make payments on the web using Microsoft Wallet.
The company has today introduced a preview version of the API for Edge’s web platform that will enable developers to integrate the service into their platforms for an intuitive payment experience, mentions Andy Pavia, Program Manager at Microsoft in the official blog post. The Payment Request API will be available for access both on Windows 10 desktop and mobile using EdgeHTML 15. This API is fairly new and Google has added support for the same to Chrome just recently.
Microsoft is integrating support for online payments into their browser because it is looking to better the checkout conversion rate, which according to a survey is a measly 54 percent. A majority of online shoppers give into the complexities of the payment process and abandon their purchases. The Redmond giant aims to better that by easily accessing payment info associated with the user’s Microsoft Account. The Payment Request API will work as under:
With the Payment Request API, payment information is provided by the wallet (once the user has granted consent), as opposed to being collected via a checkout form in the website. The browser mediates all the information passed between the wallet and the merchant.
With the addition of capabilities for this API in their Edge browser, the Redmond giant is looking to take on the likes of dominating payment services — Apple Pay and Android Pay. Both of these services has made their debut on the web and mobile a long time ago. Now, Apple even allows you to checkout using the fingerprint sensor embedded in their iPhones and the new MacBook Pro.
Microsoft is introducing support for the Payment Request API for Edge is available to developers in Insider preview build 14986. Redmond is now working on making the complete Microsoft Wallet experience available for end-to-end testing in upcoming builds — which will only be released next year.
