What is Android Pay and is it the same as Apple Pay? Find out here
Android Pay, Google's new mobile payments system announced at the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, may be launched later this week.
According to a leaked message (via Android Police), the service will go live in the US on 26 August, though no UK date has been announced.
The service, which was slated for release alongside the new Android M mobile OS later this year, offers a way for users to pay for goods online and in store using their mobile device.
For in-the-flesh purchases, Android Pay uses NFC technology, allowing users to simply unlock their phone and hold it next to a special reader, much like a contactless credit or debit card.
For in-app or online purchases, users will be presented with a "Buy with [Android] Pay" option, which they can make use of with a single tap.
Is Android Pay the same as Apple Pay?
In a word, yes. Both use NFC technology in real-world scenarios and both offer one-tap online payments. Fundamentally, the only real difference is the operating system it is running on - if you have an iOS device, you will have to use Apple Pay and if you have an Android device you will have to use Android Pay (or Samsung Pay, if you have a Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge).
Apple Pay does have one feature that Android Pay does not, however: it works on smartwatches (specifically Apple Watch), whereas Android Pay so far only appears to work on Android proper and not Android Wear.
Is Android Pay the same as Samsung Pay?
Not really, no. Samsung Pay only works with the newest Samsung devices and also does not use NFC. Instead, it uses proprietary "Magnetic Secure Transmission" technology, which means it is compatible with card machines that only have a magentic strip reader.
Samsung Pay also only works in-store, not online.
Is Android Pay safe?
According to Google, "security is at the centre of Android Pay" and the technology uses "industry standard security tokenisation", which it developed in conjunction with the likes of American Express, MasterCard and Visa.
"When you shop at a store, Android Pay won't send your actual credit or debit card number with your payment," said Google in a blog post. "Instead we'll use a virtual account number to represent your account information - providing you with an extra layer of security."
"And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password or even wipe it clean of your personal information," Google added.
However, it is impossible for IT Pro to independently validate these claims.
Is Android Pay available in the UK?
Android Pay is not officially available anywhere currently, although Google claims it "will soon be accepted in over 700,000 store locations ... across the US".
In fact, McDonald's has informed staff the payment app will be accepted at some its restaurants from 26 August, according to Android Police.
As with Apple Pay, there is as yet no word on when or even if Android Pay will be making its way to the UK.
Android Pay, Google's new mobile payments system announced at the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, may be launched later this week.
According to a leaked message (via Android Police), the service will go live in the US on 26 August, though no UK date has been announced.
The service, which was slated for release alongside the new Android M mobile OS later this year, offers a way for users to pay for goods online and in store using their mobile device.
For in-the-flesh purchases, Android Pay uses NFC technology, allowing users to simply unlock their phone and hold it next to a special reader, much like a contactless credit or debit card.
For in-app or online purchases, users will be presented with a "Buy with [Android] Pay" option, which they can make use of with a single tap.
Is Android Pay the same as Apple Pay?
In a word, yes. Both use NFC technology in real-world scenarios and both offer one-tap online payments. Fundamentally, the only real difference is the operating system it is running on - if you have an iOS device, you will have to use Apple Pay and if you have an Android device you will have to use Android Pay (or Samsung Pay, if you have a Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge).
Apple Pay does have one feature that Android Pay does not, however: it works on smartwatches (specifically Apple Watch), whereas Android Pay so far only appears to work on Android proper and not Android Wear.
Is Android Pay the same as Samsung Pay?
Not really, no. Samsung Pay only works with the newest Samsung devices and also does not use NFC. Instead, it uses proprietary "Magnetic Secure Transmission" technology, which means it is compatible with card machines that only have a magentic strip reader.
Samsung Pay also only works in-store, not online.
Is Android Pay safe?
According to Google, "security is at the centre of Android Pay" and the technology uses "industry standard security tokenisation", which it developed in conjunction with the likes of American Express, MasterCard and Visa.
"When you shop at a store, Android Pay won't send your actual credit or debit card number with your payment," said Google in a blog post. "Instead we'll use a virtual account number to represent your account information - providing you with an extra layer of security."
"And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password or even wipe it clean of your personal information," Google added.
However, it is impossible for IT Pro to independently validate these claims.
Is Android Pay available in the UK?
Android Pay is not officially available anywhere currently, although Google claims it "will soon be accepted in over 700,000 store locations ... across the US".
In fact, McDonald's has informed staff the payment app will be accepted at some its restaurants from 26 August, according to Android Police.
As with Apple Pay, there is as yet no word on when or even if Android Pay will be making its way to the UK.
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