Microsoft Takes Another Look At Mobile Payments

The mobile payments space is getting attention from a player that once made an attempt to join the ecosystem.

Especially in the world of mobile payments, the ongoing emergence of major mobile payments players, like Apple Pay, has rattled Microsoft’s cage enough for the tech giant to make a move back into the space.

In a joint interview with The Verge and Re/code, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems Joe Belfiore announced that the company would be revamping its little-known Windows Wallet mobile payments app. Though Belfiore was scant with details on when the new service would be available — or if it was meant as an answer to Apple Pay — he did admit Microsoft’s past failed attempts at mobile payments in a nod to the future.

“Windows is going to have a wallet concept,” Belfiore said. “You’ve seen it on phones before. We’re going to continue to iterate it. We’re going to think about the range of payment scenarios.”

Interestingly, Belfiore did not mention which specific technology Microsoft’s new mobile payment service would utilize, but he did note that Windows Hello, the facial recognition feature available in Windows 10, was a good indication of the friction-free way Microsoft is approaching mobile payments this second time around. However, Belfiore was careful to note that starting from the ground up while other companies are miles ahead with mobile payments does pose a significant challenge for Microsoft.

“[Mobile payments] is just one of these things that is a massive network of complexity,” Belfiore said. “I think the biggest challenge is: What effect will cause enough of the right things to align that you’ll get a good experience with all the places that you want it to happen in? And that’s kind of a world problem.”

When asked about a possible release date for Microsoft’s mobile payments app, Belfiore responded only with: “Soon.”

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