The Chinese giant Xiaomi is rapidly developing in the international market and producing many cool gadgets and devices for the smart home. But the “stuffing” of the phones on the technological side is not left without attention.
The developers have invented Mi Pay- its payment system- to provide users with maximum comfort in making purchases and with new functions. Find out what’s so special about it and for which countries it is available – below.
What is Mi Pay
Mi Pay is a contactless payment system that allows you to pay for goods using your phone. There is no need to carry many payment cards to get, for example, a discount in the store. You put your credit card details into your smartphone, put it near the terminal, and the payment is made successfully.
The system works on the basis of China Union Pay from NFC communication. For contactless withdrawal of funds you will need only a POS-terminal.
Which Xiaomi phones support Mi Pay
Unfortunately, not every smartphone manufactured by Xiaomi can boast a special NFC chip for payment “over the air”. This is enough of a feature and is present only in the flagship line Mi. And while almost all flagships support Google Pay, Mi Pay is still supported by some models.
In the future, the company plans to add the contactless payment option to all devices released strictly for the Chinese market. And we move smoothly to the next point – is the branded system available for the CIS countries?
For now, Mi Pay works only in the Middle Kingdom and India. The system is unavailable in the U.S., European, and other Asian countries. In China, the service is very popular and supported by most local banks. In India, Xiaomi has a leading position. Therefore it was decided to create a multifunctional system for paying various bills: utility bills, payment for goods, transportation, shopping online, and much more.
Alternative: Google Pay
An excellent alternative is the payment system Android Pay from Google. It’s currently the most common contactless payment service, offering users a fast, secure, and convenient way to make purchases. You must download the official app from Google Play, link your card to the program, and enter the necessary details.
Pros and cons of contactless payment
And finally, let’s discuss which type of electronic payment is better – via card or smartphone.
The advantages of Google (Mi) Pay:
- No need to carry a large number of debit and credit cards;
- Reduces the risk of losing or forgetting your card;
- All major transactions are concentrated in your smartphone and will always be at your fingertips;
- The maximum level of protection during payments.
Cons of Google (Mi) Pay:
- Only official global firmware must be on your phone. Also, no root rights or unlocked bootloader allowed.
- Not all stores have payment terminals, and not all types of cards are supported.
As you can see, Mi Pay is a good enough solution for most users, which should eventually appear in European countries.
I still don’t know if such options are worth using at all. Then read our main article about Google Pay and their comparison.
