topic Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected in Z Series

Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 23:21:37 GMT

Hi - on my Z5P I have two Apps that provide "Tap & Pay" feature. I set one of these two Apps as the "Payment Default" and I have set Use Default to "Except when another payment app is open".

I have tried as many combinations including swapping the default app, closing all other apps etc. In all cases I have not been able to achieve a payment via the non-default "Open Payment App" - the default App always seems to be used.

Any tips on how to achieve a payment via the Open App and not the default app?

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

CameronT — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 00:31:26 GMT

Hi @TDS123,

Welcome to the community.

I'm not aware of a Tap & Pay app that is pre-installed on the Z5 Premium. What are the names of the apps you are having the issues with?

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 02:12:48 GMT

Hi. Both Apps are provided by banks in Australia. NAB mobile banking app provides "nab pay" feature and ANZ Mobile Pay app provides similar. Both can be set as the default payment app but having the alternate (non default) app open is not overriding the use of the default app as per the alternate setting indicates it should.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

CameronT — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 02:16:06 GMT

@TDS123,

Because these apps are not developed by Sony there is little I can do in the way of support.

You can try resetting the apps. What version of Android is your phone currently on? (Settings > About Phone)

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 05:02:05 GMT

Android version 6.0

Are you able to confirm that my expectation is correct I.e. By having the setting as described the open "payments app" should override the default app.

If this is the case then this "feature" shouldn't be reliant on app coding but rather should be handled by the OS / Phone... app providers shouldn't need to code for this optionality should they?

The phone obviously "knows" these are "payment apps" otherwise they wouldn't show as a choice as a default payment app. Appears that something is not detecting the other payment app is open and should be used... Doesn't make sense this is an app issue.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

Uliwooly — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 05:29:54 GMT

@TDS123

You might want to contact the app developers, it does see like an app issue, just to make sure, the apps work fine if you only have one installed?

It seems that other users are experiencing issues with the app, you might want to contact them

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.nab.mobile

mobilefeedback@nab.com.au

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

CameronT — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 05:39:03 GMT

@TDS123,

To reset the application go to Settings > Apps > Tap on the app you are having issues with > Storage > Clear Data > Force Stop.

Payment apps use the NFC system in the handset to handle the Tap & Pay. The phone doesn't know that this is a payment app. All it knows is what the app tells it to do. It is not possible to code an operating system or make changes to the operating system for each individual app, as there are quite literally millions of apps available. It is up to the developers of the apps to code their application to function correctly with the operating system.

If the steps above have not resolved your issue, you will need to contact the developers of the applications in question for assistance.

Great find @uliwooly, thank you.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 07:09:10 GMT

Hi uliwooly. Both Apps work fine and make payments fine. Problem is they only do this if they are set as the default... and despite having the phone setting as "Except when another payment app is open" the default paymentapp is Always used and the open payment app is Never used.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

Uliwooly — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 07:15:12 GMT

@TDS123

I can see how that can be problematic, but this feedback its something that has to be sent to the app developers, since its not a Sony app only the app devs can solve this issue.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 07:20:54 GMT

Hi Cameront

I will try reset etc and revert.

My logic
1 something on the phone "knows" these two apps are the only apps on my phone that can be used for tap & pay... I know this because only these two apps show as options to set as default payment apps
2 because of the second setting option I should be able to set say App1 as default and if I want to use App2 to pay all I should need to do is have App2 open... Something in the phone needs to detect App2 is open, is a payment app (refer above, it knows App2 is a payment App) and to use App2 for tap & pay... App1 coders don't know anything about App2 and more importantly shouldn't be able to override this type of phone setting

The apps individually work...

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 07:26:46 GMT

Uliwooly

I disagree. Tap and pay phone settings explicitly give the option to use an open payment app instead of the default payment app. Something 'outside of the apps' needs to
1 detect that a "tap and pay / nfc" event has occurred
2 based on phone settings determine if a payment app is open and if so get the open app to service the event instead of the default app

If app developers are able to override the above then the phone settings become useless.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

Uliwooly — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 08:01:23 GMT

@TDS123

You can follow @CameronT's suggestion or my suggestion, do check the playstore's comments, you will see other users with similar issues, you should really contact the app developers, or if you think its something at Android level, you can contact the Android developers.

If the apps work fine when you don't have the other app but not when you have both apps, that kinda point out that the apps are creating issues.

You can also contact Sony directly >>> Local support but it might not be a good idea as Sony has no control on such apps.

Let us know if you contact the app developers.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 08:08:51 GMT

@uliwooly
I don't know how to be any clearer... There are no issues with either app either when both installed or singularly installed. The issue I have is that despite having settings set to "use an open payment app" instead of default the default app is always used.

Maybe you can advise whether the "tap & pay" settings are Sony or Android developer domain...

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

Uliwooly — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 16:37:52 GMT

@TDS123

That's Android, did you read the comments on other users having problems with the app, you are clearly experiencing problems, it will be wise to contact them.

https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/3470787?hl=en

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 19:53:32 GMT

@uliwooly

Thanks for trying to assist. Yes I have read comments from other users - majority of issues are problems with app functionality / Phone compatibility etc - I am not having any of these problems.

The fundamental premise here is that there is a setting that indicates that if set an open payment app will be used in preference to the default payment app. If this setting is dependent on app coding as you suggest by your advice to contact app developers then the setting will be useless. There will be many more wallet / payment apps coming to market over the next 12 months - all of them will want to be selected as the default payment app because most will have a business model based on transaction value and volumes - and therefore coding to support this setting will not be a priority for them.

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 21:38:26 GMT

@CameronT

I have "Cleared Data" / "Cleared Cache" / "Force Stopped" / de-installed / re-installed both Apps

I have re-tried both of the following scenarios

Scenario 1

Payment default = App1
Use Default = Except when another payment app is open
App2 is open on my phone
Attempt to make payment at my local coffee shop (coffee) ... payment successful ... but payment has been made via App1 and not App2 as the settings would suggest

Scenario 2

Payment default = App2
Use Default = Except when another payment app is open
App1 is open on my phone
Attempt to make payment at my local coffee shop (muffin) ... payment successful ... but payment has been made via App2 and not App1 as the settings would suggest

@uliwooly has suggested this is best raised in an Android forum ... before doing this I am going to try and see if I can find someone who has the same apps on a non-Sony phone and see if their settings are working okay (i.e. the open payment app is used in preference to the default).

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

CameronT — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 00:40:41 GMT

@TDS123,

Where exactly are you setting "App1/App2" or setting these apps as default in the phone? Could you provide screenshots?

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

TDS123 — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 02:16:22 GMT

@CameronT

I have found a couple of other people with Payment apps on non-Sony phones. Based on what I have seen this issue is NOT a Sony issue but is likely to be an Android issue. I have found various other people with multiple payment apps (including the ones I use plus more!) on non-Sony phones - their phones have a similar setting as the "Except when another payment app is open" and they are experiencing the same behaviour that I am i.e. the defualt app is the only app that is ever used to make a payment.

From what I can gather, Android rely's on the App to have "coding" that indicates that it is "open" / "in the foreground" so that it can detect this and therefore allow the open App to be used. Based on my quick research there are at least 5 apps in market that aren't coded in this way. Per my previous post I can't see why the App providers would want to do this as they are all wanting to be the default payment app of choice on as many phones as possible - if they support this feature and others don't then they are likely to be relegated to "non-default". In my opinion this will need to be something "enforced" by Android OS in some way.

Thanks for your attention and help on this.

As a final pioint, to answer your question (and screen shot) please refer below. At the moment the second setting is basically useless and doesn't work across many payment apps (haven't found one yet where it does work).

Settings > Tap & pay

Re: Z5P - Tap & Pay setting - not working as expected

CameronT — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 03:28:41 GMT

@TDS123,

Interestingly, I do not have the 'Tap & Pay' option on my handset. It might be carrier or region specific firmware.

I understand your issue better now. I recommend you report it to Google and the app devs.