News

Samsung Pay Introduces Support For Digital COVID-19 Vaccination Cards

The feature is currently available only in the United States.

Published

3 years ago

August 28, 2021

samsung pay introduces support for digital covid-19 vaccination cards

In 2021, digital COVID-19 vaccination cards have become reality for many people around the world who decided to take the vaccine in order to better protect themselves and their loved ones from the deadly infectious disease that brought the world to a stand still last year.

Now Samsung, in partnership with The Commons Project Foundation, a non-profit public trust established to build and operate digital platforms and services for the common good, has announced that Samsung Pay users can use the mobile payment and digital wallet service to store digital versions of their COVID-19 vaccination cards.

“As more and more consumers use their Samsung devices as a digital wallet, it is a natural extension to make Covid-19 vaccination records more easily accessible,” explains Rob White, Sr. Director of Product for Samsung Pay at Samsung Electronics America, in the official announcement. “We are proud to partner with The Commons Project Foundation on this important initiative and to help make life easier” he added.

samsung pay digital covid-19 vaccination card

Here’s what you need to do to add your own COVID-19 vaccination card to Samsung Pay:

Open the Google Play Store app and download the CommonHealth app to your device.
Follow the instructions provided by the CommonHealth app to access your COVID-19 vaccine information.
You can then tap the Add to Samsung Pay link to transfer your COVID-19 vaccine information to Samsung Pay.
Launch the Samsung Pay app and tap the COVID-19 Vaccine Pass on the homepage.

At the moment, this handy feature is available only in the United States, and we have no information on global availability.

Also Read: Mastercard Plans To Say Goodbye To Magnetic Stripes In 2024

Of course, Samsung can’t force any business, educational institution, or other places to actually accept digital vaccination cards stored in Samsung Pay, but we predict that the willingness to accept this form of COVID-19 certification will only increase as more similar solutions become available.

News

Will Upcoming Changes Turn Instagram Into A TikTok Clone?

Updates are rolling out for the grid layout and Reels length, while new editing tools clearly imitate those of the rival Chinese platform.

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2025

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Instagram recently faced backlash for swapping its iconic square grid for rectangles, disrupting the aesthetic of thousands of carefully curated profiles. However, the Meta-owned platform isn’t stopping there, after announcing more incoming TikTok-like changes designed to give users greater control over their profiles.

“We launched a new tall grid on profiles this week and I got a lot of feedback, both positive and quite negative,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared in an Instagram caption on Monday. “The goal is a simpler, cleaner place that maintains, and even increases, creator control”.

Here are some of the details about further changes we can expect:

Customizable Grids: Users will soon be able to tweak how their posts appear on the grid, including adjusting image crops and reordering posts entirely.
Direct-To-Grid Posts: A new option will allow users to post directly to their profile grid without automatically adding it to their main feed.
Highlights Relocation: Instagram’s Highlights feature will move from above the grid into a dedicated tab, while also becoming part of the profile grid itself.
Longer Reels: Reels are getting a significant upgrade, with the maximum video length jumping from 90 seconds to 3 minutes.

The updates are part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to compete with TikTok, which narrowly avoided a US ban following a 75-day delay granted by President Donald Trump. With the Chinese video platform’s future remaining uncertain, Instagram seems eager to capture disillusioned users by offering features that feel increasingly similar to those of its rival.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

In fact, Instagram’s recent changes go beyond just the app’s layout: On Sunday, parent company Meta launched the standalone Edits app, a clear imitation of TikTok’s popular video-editing tool, CapCut. Additionally, Meta has been enticing creators with cash bonuses to encourage them to post their videos on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s clear Instagram is shifting its strategy to appeal to the short-form video crowd. Whether these changes will win over users or continue to spark discontent remains to be seen.