Android Pay is finally on its way to the UK – within a few months
Google's contactless solution is taking its sweet time
Contactless payments are growing significantly in the UK, and Apple Pay appears to be leading the charge. But what about Android Pay, which debuted in September in the States?
Don’t worry, it’s coming soon. Well, soon-ish: today, Google revealed that the NFC-based service is due to hit the UK “in the next few months,” with numerous banks and retailers signing up as partners. Last month, Telegraph reported that Android Pay would go live in late March, but it sounds like we’ll be waiting a while still before it’s actually up and running.
Google says that Android Pay will work with Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards from the following banks once it’s finally live: Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA, and Nationwide Building Society.
And it’ll work across the Tube, buses, and trains via Transport for London, while Boots, Waitrose, and Costa Coffee are among the companies that will support the contactless payments service from the outset. Millions of locations in the States already support Android Pay, and Google says that they’re signing up 1.5 million new users monthly.
Remember, Apple Pay also launched late in the UK, finally going live in July 2015. Since then, Apple has helped make its case with a couple of promotions with MasterCard that offered free Transport for London rides – but, of course, that doesn’t mean much to Android users.
Samsung Pay is also expected to launch in the UK very soon, so it seems like the battle for contactless dollars is about to heat up in a big way.
[Source: Official Android Blog]
Read More › Android Pay starts rolling out in the States
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
