Android Pay Rollout Begins

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

The highly anticipated launch of Android Pay, Google’s payments platform took place last Sept. 10. It allows consumers to add credit and debit cards to their device and, whether “at a store or in an app,” to pay.

The platform enables shoppers at the point of sale (POS) to tap and pay via near field communication (NFC) technology. Consumers can simply unlock their phones, place there near a contactless terminal — there is no need to open an app.

According to the Android website, Android Pay also provides extra layers of security: tokenization, transaction tracking to consumers can confirm payment and watch for suspicious activity, and, using Android Device Manager, devices can be locked remotely or wiped if they are lost or stolen.

 Tech Crunch reports there will be a gradual rollout, beginning with locations including Best Buy, McDonald’s, Macy’s, Walgreens, Subway, Whole Foods, and Toys R Us.

The launch could have a significant impact on mobile payments: Devices running Google’s Android make up the majority of smartphones in use worldwide and account for 38 percent of mobile traffic in the U.S. 

In addition, in an Android blog post on Sept. 10, Pali Bhat, director of product management for Google said, “Later this year, you’ll also be able to use Android Pay to speed through mobile checkout in your favorite apps. And with select merchants, you'll soon be able to transmit your loyalty cards and special offers with just a tap. We’ll be announcing more Android Pay news soon, and would love to hear your feedback on the Android Pay experience.”

Google announced the development of Android Pay at the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco in May.