LoopPay, the technology that can wirelessly transfer payment information, may be making its way into third-party smartphone cases soon. Today, the startup announced XPAL Power, a subsidiary of Mophie and Belkin supplier TennRich International, and Trident Case, manufacturer of ruggedized smartphone covers, as its first OEM partners.
The ostensible benefit of LoopPay is its compatibility with legacy point-of-sale terminals. Unlike NFC, which requires merchants to install new systems, LoopPay works for all intents and purposes like the plastic in your wallet; it uses proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) to generate an electromagnetic wave that emulates a card swipe.
XPAL Power plans to release products this year with the tech, including a back cover for the Galaxy S5. Trident, for its part, will produce LoopPay-ready protective covers for the Samsung Note 4 and other smartphones in late 2015.
The cases may prove redundant if rumors of a partnership with Samsung pan out. Recode reported last month that LoopPay was in talks with Samsung to embed its circuitry within future smartphones.
Still, LoopPay isn’t hedging its bets. The startup states it is working with chipmakers to embed MST in silicon, which would make the technology easier for future accessory makers to integrate.
Via: LoopPay