On Monday, the South Korean version of Samsung’s website accidentally confirmed the launch of a web payment platform Samsung Pay Mini with support for Bixby, the company’s upcoming voice assistant that has yet to be officially announced. The website reveals how the next Samsung Pay Beta update will introduce Samsung Pay Mini, a simplified version of Samsung Pay exclusively designed for making online payments. Additionally, the next beta build will also allegedly debut support for Bixby, though it remains to be seen what that feature will entail. A screenshot confirming the existence of Samsung Pay Mini with Bixby integration can be seen above. While the website was obviously launched prematurely, it’s still operational at the moment of writing this and can be accessed by following the source link below.
Samsung’s website makes no mention of a release date for the new beta build of Samsung Pay, and the company has yet to comment on this accidental confirmation of its upcoming services. This occasion marks the first time one of Samsung’s divisions mentioned Bixby, an AI voice assistant that’s rumored to be integrated into the upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship. While we’ve first heard of the name “Bixby” back in November, reports of Samsung Pay Mini being in development started surfacing as early as May. By most accounts, Samsung Pay Mini will be a simple solution for managing debit and credit cards, as well as making online payments, meaning it won’t be usable in physical stores. On the bright side, this design could see the service launch on many Android smartphones, even ones not manufactured by the Seoul-based consumer electronics maker. According to the report from May mentioned above, Samsung Pay Mini will be compatible with all Android devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later, as well as select iOS phones.
All in all, more information is expected to follow in the not-too-distant future as Samsung will reportedly unveil the Galaxy S8 at a special event in New York City scheduled for April 18th. Seeing how the company’s next flagship will likely be the first phone boasting native Bixby integration, the Seoul-based tech giant is bound to put this voice assistant and all of its capabilities in the spotlight during the Galaxy S8 unveil.