Android Pay is now available in the Play Store after Google officially announced it this morning. Several Android users, who did not necessarily have the old Google Wallet app, can now use Android Pay to make payments online and in retail stores that support NFC-based payment kiosks at the checkout.
According to Google Play’s page, Android Pay is the simplest and safest way to pay with an Android phone at over million stores in the US that support Near Field Communications (NFL), which enables electronic devices to establish radio communication with each other by bringing the devices closer together.
The app will be accepted at over 700,000 store locations, including Best Buy, Pepsi, McDonalds, Coca Cola, Panera Bread, Game Stop, Domino’s Pizza, Eat24, and many others, as stated in the official blog from Android.
The only thing users have to do to pay is previously add the debit and credit cards to the app, unlock the phone and hold it near a contactless terminal at the checkout without even opening the app.
However, the service still has some imperfections. Users cannot pay at stores with every virtual card like the old Google Wallet service. Some banks have supported Google in this new service. For instance, Citibank users have recently reported they have been able to pay with their credit and debit cards from that bank using the app.
Google is also working with leading payment networks and financial institutions like American Express, Discover, Master Card, Visa, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, PNC, Regions, USAA, US bank and Navi Federal Credit Union.
Other users, who do not own a bank account in the banks supported by the app, had to use Google Wallet for mobile payments with the card they wanted to use inside of Android Pay.
As of how secure the service will be, Google has a new software update, Android Marshmellow, that will come with native support for fingerprint recognition. In fact, rumors say that Google has two new Nexus devices with fingerprint readers on the way, which will be perfect for Android Pay’s arrival.
Source: Official Android