Samsung may have been shrouded in a little bit of controversy over the last few weeks and had their public reputation somewhat tarnished, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that they produce some fantastic and popular devices, that are in some cases, ahead of the competition in the industry. I am willing to go out on a limb and suggest that their legal wrangling’s with Apple are far from over, with more to come surrounding Apple’s request to have specific devices banned in the United States, but until that day in court comes upon us, there is some good news on the horizon for Samsung Galaxy S III owners.
One of the world’s largest network providers, Orange, has partnered with the financial might of Barclaycard to announce that the fantastic and extremely popular Galaxy S III will be the first Android device to offer a contactless payment solution to technology-orientated consumers. The inclusion of Near Field Communications (NFC) technology in the Galaxy S III makes the functionality possible, and although some corners of the tech industry have suggested that NFC wouldn’t take off until Apple started including it in their devices, it seems that Samsung could be the catalyst that makes NFC a mainstream technology.
As part of the process, owners of the Galaxy S III will be able to use an existing MasterCard or Visa credit card, or an issued debit card to load their handset up with what is essentially pre-paid credit. Those lucky enough to benefit from this service can then simply tap their handsets on compatible electronic points of sales to pay for goods or services that are valued at £20 and under. This only applies to retail stores in the surrounding areas that are participating, but it’s a step in the right direction, and with the might of Orange and Barclaycard behind the service, it will only be a matter of time until it actually takes off.
The two companies behind the scheme are planning to roll out contactless payments from this coming Wednesday, and will be offering it to existing Orange customers who opt to process an upgrade to the Galaxy S III, as well as new consumers who want to join the network. In addition to being able to take advantage of paying for things in store with a simple tap of the phone, Orange is also offering a £50 initial load on the smartphone to anyone who qualifies for the service between now and October 5th. Not a bad deal at all.
We’ve already seen companies like Dropbox getting behind Samsung products, offering free premium storage accounts to those who purchase and register specific Samsung handsets. Now is the turn of Orange and Barclaycard to become champions of the Korean brand, but as long as it benefits the consumer, you won’t hear us complaining.
(via PocketLint)
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