Does the 640XL have the necessary hardware for tap to pay? If so, is MS just choosing not to enable it?
1. Technically, I believe yes.
2. Tap to pay apparently requires going through some kind of certification process and it appears Microsoft isn't going through with it. Not unexpected considering the trend of MS not really supporting individual models to a significant extent.
But it works on 950s.
Are you saying th hardware is already in the 640XL but not enabled?
MS has not gotten the 640 XL or 640 certified at this time, but ultimately we aren't going to know for sure if its hardware or not. It's likely that MS is simply not supporting the device in this regard, but we can't know for sure without insider knowledge. Pun not intended.
Does each device model need to be certified for tap and pay? IIRC Google rolled out Google Wallet to all Android devices with NFC and a minimum OS version. That would have been hundreds of different device models. I'm pretty sure they didn't get each one certified!
NFC Tap to Pay may only come to newer Windows 10 Mobile phones | Windows Central
This is worth checking out. Apparently the 640 XL is cleared? I don't know anymore.
My next phone will be Android.
Samsung and Apple both have Tap To Pay but Microsoft refuses to implement it.
Why I don't know but it will cost the at least one customer in the future unless things change drastically and pretty damn soon.
Microsoft put a Wallet app in the Store but it only takes numbers for those Store Reward Cards --- it does NOT do Tap To Pay.
Microsoft does not deserve any further support for their phone business if they continue to refuse to give us Tap To Pay.
One difference is the NFC Chip FW version. Lumia 640 XL may have 08.01.22 but Lumia 640 XL LTE may have 08.01.1F.Why did they approve the 640 XL but not the 640 XL LTE?