Microsoft’s Mobile Payments Service Is Coming “Soon”

Microsoft could be gearing up to take on the likes of Apple Pay and Android Pay with the relaunch of its own mobile wallet service, a senior company executive has said.

Speaking to The Verge, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore said that the company will look to have its Microsoft Wallet payment solution up and running soon, and that it will be focused around its Windows 10-powered mobile devices.

“Windows is going to have a wallet concept. You’ve seen it on phones before. We’re going to continue to iterate it,” Belfiore, who is Microsoft’s vice president and manager for the Windows Phone programme management, said. “We’re going to think about the range of payment scenarios.”

Microsoft Pay?

Belfiore also hinted that the new service would utilise Windows Hello, the company’s facial-recognition software, as part of the authentication process to carry out payments, calling it a good example of the “kind of technology we’ll build into devices for authentication to make… payments better.”

However he was keen to point out that developing a mobile payment service was not an easy task, but, “one of these things that is a massive network of complexity.”

“I think the biggest challenge is, What effect will cause enough of the right things to align that you’ll get a good experience with all the places that you want it to happen in? And that’s kind of a world problem,” Belfiore said.

The new service should also utilise NFC technology, similar to Apple Pay, having been included in the Wallet for Windows Phone 8.1 app, which unfortunately was not a major success.

Recent research by payments specialists Skrill found that digital wallets have enjoyed a major surge in popularity and are now used by more than half of all UK online shoppers whenever they purchase goods online.

Overall, 54 percent of UK consumers said they often or always used digital wallets such as PayPal, Google Wallet, or Square, to shop and pay.

All clued up on mobile payments? Try our quiz!

Mike Moore

Michael Moore joined TechWeek Europe in January 2014 as a trainee before graduating to Reporter later that year. He covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to mobile devices, wearable tech, the Internet of Things, and financial technology.

Recent Posts

More Layoffs For iRobot Staff After Abandoned Amazon Deal

After axing 31 percent of its workforce when it failed to be acquired by Amazon,…

14 hours ago

Mozilla Foundation Confirms Layoffs, Eliminates Advocacy Division

Mozilla Foundation axes 30 percent of its staff, and is eliminating its Advocacy Division that…

16 hours ago

Google To Make MFA Mandatory Next Year

Improving security. Mandatory multi-factor authentication (MFA) is coming to the Google Cloud by the end…

17 hours ago

UK Government Launch AI Safety Platform For Businesses

New AI assurance platform from UK government will help businesses ensure they can safely develop…

18 hours ago

Australia Plans Social Media Ban For Children Under 16

Protecting kids? Australian government confirms plan to implement restriction on social media for children under…

19 hours ago

Canada Orders Shutdown Of TikTok’s Canadian Business

Canada ordered China's TikTok business in the country to be dissolved over national security risks,…

21 hours ago