Microsoft Wallet
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| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Initial release | June 21, 2016 |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Mobile |
| Platform | Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, Microsoft Lumia 950, Microsoft Lumia 650 |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
Microsoft Wallet is a mobile payment and digital wallet service by Microsoft that lets users make payments and store loyalty cards on certain devices. Making payments is currently supported with the Microsoft Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, and Lumia 650. Microsoft Wallet does not require Microsoft Wallet-specific contactless payment terminals, and can work with existing contactless terminals. Similar to Android Pay, Microsoft Wallet utilizes Host card emulation (HCE) for making in-store payments.
Microsoft Wallet was launched on June 21, 2016 in the United States. It was initially released to participants of Microsoft's Windows Insider program and was later made available to the general public on August 16, 2016 with the release of the Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update. The service was launched exclusively to Windows 10 Mobile in conjunction with an update to Microsoft's Wallet app.
The launch of the Microsoft Wallet service established Microsoft's own in-house mobile payment platform, enabling it to bypass its prior dependencies on third-parties for contactless payments on Windows-based smartphones. Microsoft's mobile operating system had previously supported contactless payments for NFC-equipped handsets as early as 2012 in Windows Phone 8 and the original Wallet app. However, in the prior operating system, Microsoft depended on third-party intervention to make the payments feasible. Mobile carriers had to support this by providing secure element SIM cards to customers. Additionally, in the United States, mobile carriers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon required use of their joint-venture developed platform, Softcard, to process the payments. When Softcard was purchased (and subsequently shut down) by Google in early 2015, it left the Windows platform without a viable contactless payment system in the United States.
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