Orange and Barclaycard are to release a version of the best-selling Samsung Galaxy S III for their Quick Tap service, in an effort to kickstart the UK-based mobile payment initiative.

The operator’s subscribers can load funds into the pre-paid account on their handsets using MasterCard or Visa debit and credit cards, another effort to broaden take-up of Quick Tap. Previously, users had to use Barclaycard credit cards or Barclays Bank current accounts, as well as Orange credit cards, to add funds to their Quick Tap wallets.

Mobile payments of up to £20 can be made with the Android-based Samsung handset, which is available from September 5. Subscribers who choose the handset in the first month of availability will receive £50 to spend, another inducement to potential users.

Orange and Barclaycard have never released subscriber numbers for the Quick Tap service which was launched in May 2011. Initially only one handset, the 2G Samsung Tocco Lite, was available for the service. Subsequently the partners appear to have added just one new handset since the launch, which is the Samsung Wave 578.