I liked Samsung Pay but it won't replace my wallet just yet

Samsung Pay launched in Australia Wednesday, but it will need a few more banking partners before it replaces my wallet.

To begin with, only customers with cards issued by American Express or those with Citibank credit cards will have access to the mobile payments system. I had an American Express credit card on hand, so decided to load it up, just in time for lunch.

IMAGE: MASHABLE

IMAGE: MASHABLE

It's simple to add a card to the app once it's installed. Hold the card up to the smartphone camera when prompted and then add a billing address. Cards can also be added manually. Samsung Pay can then be activated by swiping upwards from the bottom of the screen.

Samsung promises to keep your bank card data nice and secure. Card information is tokenised to protect it, and transactions are authorised with an individual fingerprint or passcode. It also plans to integrate loyalty and gift card capabilities, as well as looking for potential partnerships with Australian transport systems such as Opal and Myki. 

Giving the app its first workout, I headed to the only café close to the Mashable Australia office that accepts American Express — also the site of my first, only moderately successful, expedition with Apple Pay. This time, just as in November with Apple's mobile payment offering, I had to wear the extra service fee many merchants charge for American Express transactions.

IMAGE: MASHABLE

IMAGE: MASHABLE

A smooth payment process went some way to making up for the 3 percent penalty. Once you bring up the Samsung Pay screen, the function is activated with a tap of your thumbprint. To make the purchase go through, you simply need to hold the phone to the store's payment terminal.

Unfortunately for the waiter on hand, I had to ask him to hold the terminal up, and then keep holding it, as the transaction process took a good six to eight seconds longer than the standard tap-and-go card payment many Australians are familiar with. In today's world, that's excruciatingly slow. 

If Samsung Pay could get that transaction time down, as well as add public transport capabilities, I'd be more than happy to abandon my wallet. Until then, I advise everyone to come prepared with some extra small talk to share with the barista.