The @w3payments Working Group released yesterday its roadmap of work for 2018 lists.w3.org/Archives/Public… . This is the group developing new features to facilitate and improve payments in Web browsers.
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Its most well-known and deployed API is the Payment Request API, which streamlines the Web checkout process: browsers take charge of collecting and managing users' payment information, bringing less typing and more consistency in that experience w3.org/TR/payment-request/
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On the browser side, the picture is already pretty good for such a young API: it's available in @googlechrome, @MSEdgeDev , @samsunginternet , @opera and in preview in @webkit safari and @firefox
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Part of the 2018 roadmap is to get further adoption from merchants as highlighted by the group's staff contact @ibjacobs w3.org/blog/wpwg/2017/12/14/…
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This API should actually expand your view of what a merchant is: because it significantly reduces friction in payment flows, it enables to ask for on-line payment in situations you would not even have considered before.
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Combined with the no-install / just-in-time quality of the Web, it creates brand new opportunities. You could imagine e.g. to get tourists to pay for a bus ticket by flashing a QR code. Or even better, YOU could imagine new usages 😋
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If you're interested in adopting it in your projects, developer.mozilla.org/en-US/… and github.com/w3c/payment-reque… are good starting points - and as always, your feedback on the API is most welcomed at github.com/w3c/payment-reque…
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Beyond this, the 2018 roadmap includes pushing further experimentation with another major work item of the group: Payment Handler w3.org/TR/payment-handler/. That API enables innovation in online payments by facilitating integration of Web sites as payment providers.
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Even if you're not in the business of creating payment systems, by enabling greater competition among payment providers, it should help merchants and buyers by reducing costs and improving flows.
Jan 25, 2018 · 12:55 PM UTC
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The group also wants to increase built-in security for on-line payments: once the browser manages payment data, merchants can opt not to receive sensitive data (e.g. card numbers) directly, and instead get a proof of a payment order from the user - known as tokenization.
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Likewise, this can facilitate the adoption of stronger authentication mechanisms, such as 3D secure or the 2-factor authentication mechanisms being developed by another W3C Working Group, Web Authentication w3.org/webauthn
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Finally, the group will be on the look for new method of payments: the current work enables credit cards, native apps and Web apps to act as payment system. A lot of innovation is happening in that sphere (cryptocurrencies, interledger) that may have specific integration needs.
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@w3payments is undoubtly well-positioned to significantly change how we use on-line payments and what for. Watch this space, experiment with the APIs and contribute your feedback!
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