![[Kenya] Safaricom releases updated application with new mobile money features](safaricom application.jpg)
[Kenya] Safaricom releases updated application with new mobile money features
Safaricom has released an updated version of the mySafaricom smartphone application, bringing a range of new M-PESA features and a data usage manager. With the updated version, M-PESA customers can now access all M-Shwari and KCB M-PESA functions.
The new release also introduces a number of new M-PESA features including a Lipa Na M-PESA Bill Manager, in-phone M-PESA 1Tap capabilities and the ability to make Lipa Na M-PESA payments by scanning a QR code.
“In 2016, we introduced the mySafaricom app as a modern and convenient way for smartphone users to interact with our services. This new update brings a range of refinements that will further increase the ease and convenience enjoyed by our customers whenever they interact with our different services,” said Joseph Ogutu, Director – Strategy, Safaricom.
The Bill Manager feature empowers customers to manage all their bills in one place and also provides a list of popular bills and those frequently accessed by a customer. The new feature increases the accuracy of payments by eliminating the need to key in the PayBill number and also increases the speed of making a payment by cutting down on the number of steps previously taken. Customers can also set bill reminders through the Bill Manager feature.
M-PESA customers will now also have the option to make M-PESA Agent withdrawals and Lipa Na M-PESA payments by scanning a QR code, then keying in the amount. This new feature further increases the speed and accuracy when making payments on the service. Safaricom has already began rolling out new Lipa Na M-PESA stickers with QR codes to the more than 140,000 M-PESA agents and 80,000 Lipa Na M-PESA merchants.
Safaricom has also introduced the option of making Lipa Na M-PESA payments through the recently rolled out M-PESA 1Tap solution. Customers with Android handsets that support Near Field Communication (NFC) technology can configure their phones as a virtual M-PESA 1Tap card, allowing them to tap their phones to make payments. This will complement the current M-PESA 1Tap stickers, wrist bands and cards.
The new update also introduces a Data Usage manager that allows customers to view their data usage for a given period and a list of applications and data used by each app during the period. The feature can be accessed by selecting the “Data Usage” feature under the app’s Menu.
The mySafaricom App has been available since May 2016 through the Android Google Play Store and the Apple App Store with more than 1.6 million customers downloading the app to date.
