Huawei joins with Alipay to launch biotech security for mobile payments

Huawei is developing a service with Alipay that will allow its mobile phone users to make online payments using fingerprints as verification.

The biometric security technology is built in to Huawei’s feature smartphone the Ascend Mate 7, which is expected to be launched at the IFA trade show in Berlin on September 4th. Users of the new model will be able to make payments or transfer money without passwords via Alipay Wallet. Alipay’s mobile payments app was launched in July 2013, and Alipay has already overtaken Paypal as the largest mobile payments platform in the world.

Huawei is providing chip-level security for the Mate 7, which allows fingerprint data to be saved and stored on the phone, while the data is encrypted and cannot be accessed. Huawei will also use high-level encryption and verification to ensure only approved third-party apps, such as Alipay Wallet, are allowed to access the fingerprint information for transactions.

“The security of users is protected by a specific technology that prevents third-party applications from being able to read the fingerprints,” said Li Xiaolong, a senior Huawei executive.

“Fingerprint payment is a promising step forward in the mobile world, with international cellphone giants from Apple to Samsung also exploring its commercial use,” said Kong Qi, a senior Alipay manager.

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