When Samsung took the wraps off the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic back in October 2015, it promised customers that it would bring a dedicated version of its mobile payment platform to the devices in the not-too-distant future. Unfortunately, chatter surrounding the matter quickly died down following the smartwatches official launch, but now, almost a year later, the South Korean company has launched a beta version of its dedicated Samsung Pay application for the units via the Gear Manager application.
It's important to note, however, that unlike its smartphone counterpart, Samsung Pay for the Gear S2 or Gear S2 Classic doesn't support magnetic strip transmission, so you'll only be able to use the service with NFC readers. Don't worry, though, as the majority of retail stores in the United States, which is currently the only region where the beta is available, have already made the switch over to NFC terminals also opposed to the antiquated swipe system that has been installed in bricks-and-mortar shops for a little over a decade now.
If you own a Gear S2, are located in the US and would like to get in the beta testing action, all you have to do is ensure that you have the Value Pack firmware installed on your device and the latest version of the Samsung Gear Manager application on your smartphone. Once you have them, tap the Samsung Pay Beta option located in the Gear Manager app to get started. You will then be guided through a straightforward step-by-step configuration process, which will transfer your credit/debit card information over to your watch.
