Few things have made the case for an interesting use of the NFC chips inside our phones like contactless payments. Revived by Apple with the introduction of Apple Pay in late 2014, mobile-based transactions have seen an interesting resurgence ever since.
Companies like Samsung and LG have come up with proprietary solutions, but Android users have all found a home under Google‘s very own rooftop with Android Pay. Initially launched in the US alone, the service is now expanding, and after recent promises of a forthcoming launch, it looks like the green light for the UK may be imminent (via Telegraph)…
Back in March, Google announced that Android Pay would be coming to the United Kingdom within “the next few months”, however avoiding to pinpoint a specific time frame.
Customers of several banks — among which Bank of Scotland, First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA and Nationwide Building Society — will soon be able to use their smartphone to complete transactions in a variety of places, granted that you phone runs on software no older than Android 4.4 KitKat and is provided with an NFC tag.
Other banks, namely Barclays, have not signed up for Google’s program, but nonetheless offer similar smartphone-based services of their own.
Shops that do support Mountain View’s payment system include Pret, Boots, Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Waitrose; and it is in fact Pret-a-Manger the food store which is now showing tags attached to its terminals showing support for Android Pay in addition to Apple’s solution.
While Google seems to have declined to comment, the wait for UK customers may soon be over, with perhaps a final confirmation announcement to come at next week’s I/O.
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