This is a real topic of interest to the many Samsung users on the Verizon network. Samsung Pay started today and from all we have heard it has been a resounding success – users are finding that they can use Samsung Pay almost anywhere because it allows payments two ways. You can either use the ‘tap’ method that accesses the NFC chip and the ‘swipe’ method that uses MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) – courtesy of Samsung’s purchase of LoopPay early in the year. All of this excitement happened with AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint customers, but no Verizon customers. This is because Verizon is still “evaluating” Samsung Pay and have not yet made a decision on whether they will allow it on the Samsung devices they sell. This is causing many customers to consider switching and many to question them on their chat areas.
So when Will Graylin, Samsung’s Global Co-GM Samsung Pay, CEO LoopPay, tweeted to one of the disgruntled Verizon customers, “soon to be downloadable on Google Play for Verizon customers. Hoping in the next week or so.” this raised a few eyebrows with customers who tried to probe for further verification, but left with no answers. Verizon has ignored my requests for answers and they have not indicated they have made a decision regarding their support for Samsung Pay – yet Graylin claims there will be a downloadable Samsung Pay app in the Google Play store in the next couple of weeks. For the Samsung devices that are authorized to use Samsung Pay, the app comes pre-installed and has never been available to download.
Read over a few of the replies to Graylin’s announcement. “Verizon – Please confirm – SamsungPay will be available for Verizon customer via Google Play?” How about this one? “So loop pay is saving Verizon by making sure the customers get what they want. Thank you!” Here are a couple responders that were ready to leave Verizon. “This is big news if so. I was ready to jump ship from Verizon. Are you 100% on this? Ha,” and “I had plans to ditch Verizon today. If this is true shouldn’t it be picking up some more coverage.” There were even a few people that jumped from iPhones to Android because Apple Pay was so restrictive. Mobile payments are a hot item and sales are expected to explode over the next couple of years – why Verizon would not be willing to work with Samsung just does not make any sense. Speaking of ‘sense,’ we wonder if Verizon will come to their senses, and fast.