Samsung Electronics Co plans to expand its fledgling mobile payment service in the United States next year, allowing users to shop online and with more smartphones that support the electronic wallet.
Lower-priced Samsung phones will likely start offering the mobile wallet “within the next year,” Thomas Ko, global co-general manager of Samsung Pay, said in an interview.
The service debuted in South Korea on just a handful of high-end Samsung phones.
Samsung Pay has already scored a lead over its major rivals Apple and Android, by launching its U.S. service on Sept. 28 with technology that is widely used at most stores.
Apple Pay and Alphabet Inc’s Android Pay require retailers to install new equipment.
By accepting payments online, Samsung Pay will compete with established rival PayPal Holdings Inc, as well as newcomers such as Visa Inc’s Visa Checkout.