Android Pay is now live in the UK, app available in Play Store [Updated: not yet available]

- May. 17th 2016 10:14 am PT

Update 5/18: Android Pay has officially launched in the UK. Coming soon to Australia and Singapore.

Update: As many have pointed out, the app is not yet in the Play Store. Google has since pulled the original tweet and commented that Android Pay in the UK is “not quite there yet”. An official announcement will likely coincide with I/O tomorrow.

After announcing plans for Android Pay’s first international expansion in March, Google’s contactless payment service is now available in the United Kingdom. According to the official Android Twitter account, those in the country can now download the app and set up the service.

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App teardown suggests that the Google Wallet card is going away June 30th

Stephen Hall

- Mar. 28th 2016 12:35 pm PT

@hallstephenj

Android Google Apps and Updates Google Wallet Mastercard

Update: It’s confirmed. Google is now sending the below email to users who have a card.

A new app teardown from Android Police today reveals that the Google Wallet card — which was first announced in November 2013 after many rumors of the troubled project being scrapped — is now finally getting the boot effective June 30th. The card assumably never really took off, and it seems that I’m one of the rare few that still has one of these little now-souvenirs… expand full story

Samsung Pay now works with 19 new cards, including PNC Visa and KeyBank MasterCard

Ben Lovejoy - Dec. 16th 2015 6:53 am PT

Samsung has announced that its Samsung Pay service has added 19 new card issuers in the USA, including ‘eligible’ PNC Visa credit and debit cards and KeyBank MasterCard credit and debit cards. The new banks and credit unions were first promised back in October.

New Visa issuers supported include TCF Bank, Central Florida Educators Federal Credit Union, Financial Center Federal Credit Union, Greater Kinston Federal Credit Union, Keypoint Credit Union, Numerica Credit Union, Utah Community Credit Union, Amegy Bank National Association, California Bank and Trust and Pentagon Federal Credit Union. Additional new MasterCard issuers supported include Achieva Credit Union, Associated Bank, Bayport Credit Union, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Cambridge Savings Bank, USC Credit Union and Navy Federal Credit Union.

A full list of supported cards and banks can be found here.

There’s still time to get a free $50 Best Buy gift card by activating the mobile payment service before the end of the year.

Samsung and MasterCard partner to bring Samsung Pay to Europe

Cam Bunton - Jul. 31st 2015 2:54 am PT

Samsung Pay, the manufacturer’s contactless mobile payment service, is rolling out in Europe soon thanks to a partnership with MasterCard in the EU. Once the service launches officially, card issuers will be able to enroll in MasterCard’s Digital Enablement Services (MDES), and apply the capability to all kinds of MasterCard credit, debit, prepaid credit and small business cards.

What makes Samsung Pay a different to most mobile payment services is that it works with both Magstrip and NFC POS terminals, meaning you will be able to pay virtually anywhere that has a card machine.

Google Wallet for iOS updated with single sign-on, card adding via camera

Mark Gurman

- Dec. 4th 2013 9:58 am PT

Apps & Updates Android Google YouTube IPhone App Store

Google has updated its Google Wallet application for the iPhone with a few notable enhancements. First, like it has added to its other apps on iOS as of late, Google now allows single sign-on for Wallet. This means that if you are signed in via Google to YouTube, Gmail, Adsense, or other compatible Google apps, you can be automatically logged in to the Wallet app. More interestingly, you can now use your iPhone’s camera to capture the data from your debit card or credit card to connect it to the app. Google added that feature to the Android app last month. Google Wallet recently launched a physical card program for Wallet. The update is free in the App Store.

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Google Wallet app now lets you add cards just by photographing them

Ben Lovejoy

- Nov. 22nd 2013 5:06 am PT

@benlovejoy

Apps & Updates Android Google Google Wallet PayPal Mastercard

Just a day after Google launched a physical card to allow you to more easily withdraw cash and spend your Google Wallet balance, the company has released an update to the Android app allowing you to add additional cards just by photographing them.

Add a credit/debit card just by taking a picture. Both the number and expiration date will be captured automatically …