It's time to do away with all the confusion: Android Pay, Google's second major attempt at figuring out the mobile wallet, is ...
It's time to do away with all the confusion:
Android Pay, Google's second major attempt at figuring out the mobile
wallet, is launching today. Well, it's starting to. Google says the new
app will begin its rollout slowly with a small batch of users before
reaching most Android phones (with NFC) running Android 4.4 KitKat or
above within the next week. If you already have Google Wallet installed
on your device, you'll soon be seeing an update that morphs that app
into Android Pay. Google has re-released Google Wallet as a separate
app now focused strictly on payments between friends and family
like Square Cash and Venmo. Loyalty programs, gift cards, and offers
previously stored in Wallet will now automatically move over to Android
Pay.
Just like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, Android Pay allows you to make
contactless payments using your smartphone at participating retailers.
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards from banks
including Bank of America, US Bank, PNC, and others can be added to
Android Pay starting today. Citi and Wells Fargo will begin supporting
the platform within the next few days. Similar to Apple, Google says
it'll be adding to the roster of banks and compatible credit / debit
cards "all the time." One thing to note: if you’ve been using Google
Wallet to tap and pay, there’s a chance that you’ll lose that ability
with Android Pay until your individual bank is supported. This owes to
the product's security measures; Android Pay is safer to use, but it
requires involvement from Google's partners instead of linking any old
debit card to your account.
Google says that for right now, Android Pay will be limited to tap-to-pay purchases at physical stores. The other half of the platform, which allows consumers to buy things within Android apps, isn't yet ready to launch. They'll be coming "later this year," but Google isn't specifying exactly when
Google says that for right now, Android Pay will be limited to tap-to-pay purchases at physical stores. The other half of the platform, which allows consumers to buy things within Android apps, isn't yet ready to launch. They'll be coming "later this year," but Google isn't specifying exactly when
