Snapper Touch2Pay Phone Compatilbilty

Forums › Android › Snapper Touch2Pay Phone Compatilbilty - New Cell Carrier

nzfatmatt

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#109757 26-Sep-2012 00:03

Hi, not sure if this is the correct forum, it kind of spans a few areas.

Saw this quote from Miki Szikszai in Computer World NZ "Sizksai says Snapper is currently in talks with one of 2degrees’ competitors about launching on another network, but would not name the carrier."

After yesterdays announcement of Telecom and Westpac's mobile wallet trial, I'm thinking towards and hoping for Vodafone.

Currently to use Touch2Pay (With full functionality) you must have a 2Degrees Sim and a NFC phone purchased from them due to specific API's. E.g. a Galaxy SIII which is available from all 3 Mobile Carriers or Parallel import must be purchased from 2Degrees to work.

If another carrier joins up, how would this work due to the specific API requirement? You could have a 2Degrees phone and move over, have the new carriers phone, the third carriers phone or a parallel import. Even if you have the new carriers phone, their phones wouldn't be compatible and would have to be updated. I would think there would be confusion if current phones weren't updateable or the actual Snapper Application was made to work irrespective of the current API requirement.

The underlying reason of my question which I know is not easy or clear to answer is, I am sick of my Nexus One and want a new phone, Galaxy SIII. Currently on Vodafone. Interested in 32GB model, but they seem to be parallel import only. Even if I got a 2Degrees one, you can only assume it'd work on another carrier if they launched Touch2Pay. Also if I took a stab in the dark and got a Vodafone one, that would mean either they have to update the phone or Snapper needs to make the Application work irrespective of phone Firmware or Origin.

Another random thought, is could you just get a copy of the 2Degrees version of phone Firmware and just Flash the phone?

sbiddle

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#691471 26-Sep-2012 06:09

One that presume that Vodafone would simply start deploying firmware updates with the SIMalliance API included.

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freitasm

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#691478 26-Sep-2012 07:13

Snapper Touch2Pay needs three things: a handset with SIMAlliance API, a SIM card with their applet installed and the Snapper Android app.

When a Samsung Galaxy SIII comes to New Zealand, the ones for 2degrees come with the SIMAlliance firmware pre-installed, while the ones going to other operators don't have it.

This means tthat running the Snapper app on those non-SIMAlliance handsets can use the NFC to read and topup Snapper card, but because it can't communicate with the SIM applet through the API it cannot be used as a Snapper card itself.

The new operator will have to ask the OEMs to send the handsets with this piece of software installed. It's unknown if existing on the market handsets would be updated to have this installed.

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sbiddle

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#691494 26-Sep-2012 08:06

freitasm: Snapper Touch2Pay needs three things: a handset with SIMAlliance API, a SIM card with their applet installed and the Snapper Android app.

It also requires backend infrastructure to handle the UICC (SIM card) OTA remote updates, which is essential if you want to deploy apps OTA and have a security model that gives the ability to remotely enable/disable apps, ie stopping your Snapper card or Paypass Mastercard from working if your phone is lost.

This security model is one of the great thing about using the UICC as the secure element, and OTA updates are already used by carriers already for things such as roaming steering which controls the preferred roaming networks that your phone will attach to while roaming.

With the infrastructure 2degrees and Vodafone have in place once the customer has an appropiate spec UICC deploying OTA updates or sending an application to the device can all be done remotely, which means somebody could sign up to Snapper or their bank once we see the first Paypass phone hit these shores in a few months and the app is remotely deployed OTA to their UICC, rather than needing to go and buy a special Snapper SIM as was needed initially.

Note that I used terms SIM and UICC - technically the UICC is the correct name for a SIM card, as the "SIM" is merely an app that runs on the card in the same way the Snapper app runs on the card.

DoggNZ

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#697960 8-Oct-2012 15:44

I wish the SIMAlliance API could just be "installed" manually on any Android ROM. That way I could run SuperNexus 4 on my S3