Shimul Sood/Android Authority
TL;DR
- Starting in 2027, Samsung’s international models, such as the Galaxy S27 series, are expected to support Japan’s exclusive NFC-F (FELICA) standard.
- Samsung is working with East Japan Railway Company to enable mobile Suica compatibility and Samsung Pay integration for easy balance top-up.
- The move will address a long-standing disadvantage where global Android phones lacked the offline, secure-chip hardware needed for Japanese transit and retail sales.
NFC has become ubiquitous on smartphones to such an extent that we don’t even think twice before tapping our phone to pay for something. However, not all NFC technology is the same, and if you went to Japan, you would quickly discover that NFC-based payments don’t work on your Android phone, even if they do on the iPhone. This is because Japan uses Felica-based payments, which Android phones globally do not support. However, this may change soon, with upcoming phones like the Galaxy S27 series and others on track to support Felica globally from next year.
According to a report based in Japan no-genkinThanks to a collaboration between Samsung and East Japan Railway Company (JR East, Japan’s largest passenger railway company), Samsung Galaxy smartphones sold globally will soon be compatible with the Felica-based Suica app. This will allow international tourists arriving in Japan to use Felika-based apps to pay for transportation and shopping. Previously, FeliCa support was only available on iPhones and Apple Watches and Android smartphones sold locally in Japan.
In addition, JR East is also working to enable Samsung Pay as an in-app payment method for its Mobile Suica and Welcome Suica mobile apps. This will allow international Galaxy users to top up their Suica balance in the Suica app and use Samsung Pay to purchase tickets and passes. This benefit will also be available to domestic users in Japan.
Don’t want to miss the best of Android Authority?
While most of the report focuses on JR East’s collaboration with Samsung, the main takeaway for us is that Samsung Galaxy phones coming in 2027 will support FeliK-based payments. FELICA (short for Felicity Card) is a high-speed, contactless payment technology developed by Sony Corporation with a specific focus on transaction speed. It’s technically a subset of NFC, but it’s different from the NFC standard we’re familiar with.
Most of the world uses NFC Type A for payments and NFC Type B for passports. The Felica, on the other hand, is classified as NFC-F/Type C under international standards. NFC Type A and NFC Type B support cloud-based token transactions, while with Felica, money resides on the secure chip, enabling offline verification.
Although existing Android phones have the necessary hardware for NFC Type A, they are unlikely to have the secure elements required to enable NFC support. Android phones sold in Japan likely already support FeliK, but their global counterparts miss out, which is likely to save on costs and licensing complications.
The report notes that not all current Galaxy smartphones will be compatible with FeliCa, as support is slated for Galaxy phones launched internationally from 2027 onwards. This marks the Galaxy S27 series as one of the first phones to support Felica, although further launched phones may also support it.
FeliCa support is a big deal for Android smartphones as it will be another step towards making these phones truly “global” smartphones, as iPhones currently are. It remains to be seen whether other Android brands will follow Samsung’s lead and bring FeliK support to their global releases, as it serves a very small subset of global users.
Thank you for being a part of our community. Please read our comment policy before posting.
