[News] Semble Mobile Payments Launch in NZ
From today, close to one million smartphone users around the country will be able to download the free Semble app to make secure payments using only their smartphone, the first integrated mobile wallet to New Zealanders.
The catch? There aren’t many smartphones that are supported, nor are there many financial institutions on-board (only ASB and BNZ at the moment). Not to mention, rooted Android phones aren’t allowed either!
Semble (previously known as TSM NZ) is an independent company owned by Paymark, 2degrees, Vodafone and Spark. Semble is a mobile wallet app for smartphones that uses Near Field Communication (NFC). Launching with ASB and BNZ payment capability, Semble houses safe, secure virtual versions of bank credit and debit cards that can be used anywhere a contactless payment can be made. The company wants Semble to eventually be a one stop shop, replacing all of the cards in the wallet; from loyalty cards and transport cards, to ticketing, offers, vouchers and more – all accessed via a single app on a smartphone.
Semble CEO Rob Ellis says the collaboration is unique on a global scale.
“Other mobile wallets have launched around the world, but Semble is the first to present a united front, with many industry leaders working together. Semble is a tremendous achievement for New Zealand. We have produced a mobile wallet that can cater for a wide range of services and what we are launching today with payments is just the beginning. We look forward to welcoming many more service providers to the Semble marketplace, including more banks as well as loyalty cards, public transport cards, ticketing, offers, vouchers and much more.”
The app works with the addition of a Semble Ready secure SIM card, housing a chip that is like those used in credit and debit cards. To use Semble, consumers hold their smartphone over any contactless terminal, wait for the ‘accepted’ notification on the terminal and the transaction is complete.
This means you will need to go to your mobile provider to get a new Semble-ready SIM before you can start using it, and swap the old SIM out.
Ellis says the Semble app is designed to make the mobile wallet experience safe, easy and accessible.
“Semble is a natural evolution of how we already use our smartphones for so many different things on a day to day basis. Merging the wallet with the smartphone is the obvious next step.”
“It was important to design a product using the highest international security standards while still being something that’s easy for Kiwis to use and simple for businesses to join. I’m proud to say we have achieved that and I encourage New Zealanders to give it a go.”
Semble has been designed as a ‘one stop shop’ solution and the company’s vision is to replace all the cards in the over-stuffed wallet within one integrated app. Snapper has today been announced as the first new partner, which from June will see Snapper card holders extending the use of their smartphones into many more daily activities, including jumping aboard public transport.
In April the company will commence an active trial testing special offers for redemption at point of sale using the Semble app, initially with New Zealand gourmet burger brand, BurgerFuel. This marks the beginning of a third Semble category offering (voucher and offers capability) following payments and transit categories, with more details of other services to be announced in coming months.
Unfortunately, my HTC One M7 (which is a Semble-supported phone) is currently away for fixing, so wasn’t able to try out Semble today. The Nexus 5 is not supported, which is why I need to use my HTC One M7.
For more information please visit: http://www.semble.co.nz/
