Millions of Samsung users warned that they are about to lose an important feature
SAMSUNG customers with older devices have been warned that they will soon lose access to all Wallet features, despite already missing out on future updates.
The Korean company has started warning millions of Galaxy smartphone users that their handsets will no longer support Samsung Wallet.
Last year, Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass were merged into one app called Samsung Wallet, which is identical to the Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
This allows people to link digital versions of their bank cards to their phones, so they can pay with a PIN on the go.
Virtual wallets have become an important part of people’s lives in Britain and the US, where almost every retail and transport system accepts tap payments.
Samsung Wallet also allows people to add their loyalty/membership cards, bus/flight/train tickets, gift cards, digital keys and government-approved IDs.
However, starting March 15, 2024, the key feature will soon stop working on Galaxy phones running Android 9.0 or earlier.
The shutdown will begin in Canada, although it is quietly expected to make its way to Samsung users in the US and UK soon.
Will my phone be affected?
Samsung offers devices software support for seven years, as the company believes most customers will have upgraded to a newer device in that time.
Without support, devices will stop receiving new features and security patches, making their phone slow and at risk of being hacked.
If you have a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8, your device may soon lose support for the Samsung Wallet feature.
If your device is older than the Galaxy S8 – which hit the shelves in 2017 – your Samsung phone will also lose support.
Should Samsung Wallet be an important feature in your world, it is recommended that you upgrade your device to models compatible with Android 10 and above.
It’s important to note that if you do opt for an Android 10-supported phone, that device may lose support next year.
The newest – and safest in terms of loss of support – software is Android 14-supported devices, such as the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S24 models.