In the future, you’ll be able to leave your wallet at home, and you might not even have one altogether. That’s the idea, anyway, as Westpac joins CommBank and switches NFC payments on for owners of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
From this week, if you’re a customer of Westpac, you’ll now be able to pay for things using your phone and the Near-Field Communication chip found inside the handset.
The technology isn’t technically new, with customers of the Commonwealth Bank able to do the same with their handsets, but now Westpac is joining in on the fun and making mobile payments a thing of the now as opposed to a thing of the future.
“Australia leads the world in contactless payments and mobile banking experiences,” said Andy Kerr, Head of Retail Banking Products and Services at Westpac, adding that “banking is now something people do anytime, anywhere.”
“With the existing mobile Tap and Pay service, our customers love the ability to keep paying for things even when they don’t have their wallet,” said Kerr.
Previously, the technology worked on several Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, and Galaxy Note Edge, but from this week, the app will also work with both the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.
“Recent Westpac research also showed that young Australians regard their mobile phone as more important than their wallet or card, so it’s great to be bringing the convenience of contactless payments, safely and securely via the Westpac Mobile Banking app, to even more smartphones,” said Kerr.
The technology will take advantage of your credit and debit cards on a Westpac account, and make it possible for you to tap your phone to a Tap and Pay terminal, such as those operated by Visa (PayWave), MasterCard (PayPass), and American Express.
One thing of note is that while Westpac currently owns and operates St. George Bank, customers at St. George will not get to take advantage of the technology, with the concept currently applying only to Westpac customers using the Westpac Mobile Banking app.
