Popular fast food chain Pret A Manger now accepts Android Pay, according to tags on payment terminals in one of its London outlets, suggesting an imminent launch of the mobile payment service in the UK.
The Android Pay system, Google’s second attempt to encourage users to use their smartphones for contactless payments, was introduced in the United States last September.
Google announced in March that it would introduce Android Pay in the UK within months but did not give an exact release date.
According to employees at this particular Pret store, the "We now accept Android Pay" tags arrived overnight and have been displayed in stores from this morning, suggesting Android Pay will be imminently available to UK customers.
It signals a major boost to the
mobile payments industry, as Android smartphones account for more than
half of mobile phones sold in the UK.
The technology works in a similar way to Apple Pay, allowing users to load their Visa and MasterCard credit or debit card details on to a smartphone equipped with a Near-Field Communication (NFC) microchip.
The technology works in a similar way to Apple Pay, allowing users to load their Visa and MasterCard credit or debit card details on to a smartphone equipped with a Near-Field Communication (NFC) microchip.
Smartphone-wielding shoppers will
then be able to pay at retailers equipped with a contactless payment
terminal, with their identity verified by their smartphone’s fingerprint
reader. Stores that will accept it include Pret, Boots, Starbucks,
Costa Coffee and Waitrose.
You can also use Android Pay on Transport for London services such as the Tube and buses.
According to Google: "Android Pay will support MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards from many of the UK’s major financial institutions — including Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA and Nationwide Building Society — with new banks being added all the time."
As well as opposition from Apple Pay, which has taken an early lead in mobile payments, Android Pay will also face competition from Samsung, the largest manufacturer of Android devices.
Samsung Pay is due to launch in Britain this year too. The UK is seen as a battleground for mobile payments because of the high take-up of card payments and wide availability of contactless terminals.
You can also use Android Pay on Transport for London services such as the Tube and buses.
According to Google: "Android Pay will support MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards from many of the UK’s major financial institutions — including Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA and Nationwide Building Society — with new banks being added all the time."
As well as opposition from Apple Pay, which has taken an early lead in mobile payments, Android Pay will also face competition from Samsung, the largest manufacturer of Android devices.
Samsung Pay is due to launch in Britain this year too. The UK is seen as a battleground for mobile payments because of the high take-up of card payments and wide availability of contactless terminals.
Google did not comment on the UK release of Android Pay.
No comments:
Post a Comment