If you’re a Samsung smartphone user, you’re probably familiar with the Samsung Pass app. It comes pre-installed on most Galaxy devices and serves as a biometric-authenticated password manager. You can use it to sign in to websites and apps on your phone with biometric authentication (face, fingerprint, etc.), without having to manually enter your password. The app lacks several key features to be a full-fledged password manager, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and password generator, but it offers other useful features to Galaxy users. For one, its Digital Key function lets you lock/unlock SmartThings-compliant locks in your home. You can also create a digital key for your compatible car. Moreover, you can store addresses, important notes, credit and debit card info, and other sensitive data in Samsung Pass. The app is protected by Samsung Knox security. Samsung is now moving all these Pass features to its payments app Samsung Pay, which also comes with Knox protection. The app already lets you store your credit and debit cards for quick payment. You can also store various loyalty and membership cards in the app. The latest update makes it even more feature-rich. According to the company, Galaxy users will now be able to share digital keys to their car or house with their friends and family via Samsung Pay. You can also store and manage your digital assets, i.e. cryptocurrencies. Samsung mentions support for Bithumb, Coinone, and Korbit crypto exchange platforms. More could be added in the future. Samsung Pay will also let you store flight tickets and boarding passes, as well as view your flight information. In South Korea, Samsung has partnered with Korean Air, Jin Air, and Jeju Air for flight information and schedule. It plans to get more airlines on board in the future. Other new features coming to Samsung pay include storing movie tickets and store coupons.
The integrated Samsung Pay app is now rolling out to users
The integrated Samsung Pay app rolled out to Galaxy users in South Korea last week. The update should soon reach other markets too, including the US. Samsung says Galaxy users running Android 9 Pie or higher will get the update. So Samsung Pass and Samsung Pay will likely exist as two separate apps for those on Android 8 Oreo or lower. “Through the Samsung Pay update, we want to provide a more convenient experience not only for payment but also for home, car, public transportation, and cultural life,” said Jini Han, Vice President of the Digital Life Team at Samsung’s mobile division. “We plan to expand the Samsung Pay ecosystem by working with developers.”
