Google unveils 'Android Pay' mobile payments API to rival Apple Pay
Search giant Google on Monday revealed plans to build a new mobile payments API into its Android mobile operating system, allowing developers to integrate the service -- dubbed Android Pay -- into their applications.
Though details remain scarce, Google executive Sundar Pichai did say that Android Pay would make use of account number tokenization and that it will work with NFC and biometric authentication, according to TechCrunch. At first blush, Android Pay appears to be a mashup of Apple Pay's in-app payments functionality -- which lets consumers pay for physical goods and services in apps, such as Uber, using Apple Pay - and Google Wallet.
Google seems to be planning to take a backseat with its payments initiative, instead depending on developers and individual brands to implement it. It remains unclear how the system will work with multiple apps and in-store transactions, or how much data the company plans to collect.
Additionally, Android Pay's place in Google's mobile payments ecosystem is ambiguous. Google announced a partnership to bundle Google Wallet on handsets from major U.S. carriers earlier this month, and at the same time acquired technology from the carrier-backed Softcard program.
There is also no word on when Android Pay will be available, though it seems a fair bet to bow in the next version of Android, which is due to be previewed at Google's annual developer conference in May. New Android versions are typically release to the public in the fall.
Google's announcement comes one day after Samsung announced Samsung Pay, its own Apple Pay rival. That product, which is expected to debut in the second half of 2015, combines NFC payments with magnetic technology acquired when they company picked up startup LoopPay earlier this month.
Though details remain scarce, Google executive Sundar Pichai did say that Android Pay would make use of account number tokenization and that it will work with NFC and biometric authentication, according to TechCrunch. At first blush, Android Pay appears to be a mashup of Apple Pay's in-app payments functionality -- which lets consumers pay for physical goods and services in apps, such as Uber, using Apple Pay - and Google Wallet.
Google seems to be planning to take a backseat with its payments initiative, instead depending on developers and individual brands to implement it. It remains unclear how the system will work with multiple apps and in-store transactions, or how much data the company plans to collect.
Additionally, Android Pay's place in Google's mobile payments ecosystem is ambiguous. Google announced a partnership to bundle Google Wallet on handsets from major U.S. carriers earlier this month, and at the same time acquired technology from the carrier-backed Softcard program.
There is also no word on when Android Pay will be available, though it seems a fair bet to bow in the next version of Android, which is due to be previewed at Google's annual developer conference in May. New Android versions are typically release to the public in the fall.
Google's announcement comes one day after Samsung announced Samsung Pay, its own Apple Pay rival. That product, which is expected to debut in the second half of 2015, combines NFC payments with magnetic technology acquired when they company picked up startup LoopPay earlier this month.
Comments
What's next, Windows Pay?
Plus, the BlackBerry Pay ...
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First they have to make a Microsoft Wallet, THEN Windows Pay.
We know apple worked on Apple pay for years they were in conversation with the CC company since touchID first came out, thus the solution we have today. Everyone else is rushing a solution to market which is be completely screwed up.
But most people are sheeps an will follow. However, I suspect that Apple attract a large majority of users who are willing to do thing differently. Google/Android will be left with those who are less willing to do things differently and will carry their CC around especially when they go to use their solution and find it does not work all that well.
Repeat this mantra: Competition is good. Now take a deep breath and remember that this forces innovation from everyone (including Apple).
Apple already did the innovation and hard work. Now these disgusting companies think they can just mess things up? Its too bad Google has too many friends, I'd love to see them be shattered and pulverized by an anti-trust investigation.
No competitor seemed to care about mobile payments until Apple figured out how to make money off of them. Google typically pushes services that will enhance their data gathering while Apple pushes things that make money. Once Apple Pay got off the ground the others took notice. Happens all the time.
Correction:
Ad/Spyware/Crapware giant, Google on Monday revealed plans to build ....
We should be applauding Google - this can only increase adoption of terminals in small businesses - and as they're all the same compatible devices it helps us as iPhone/AppleWatch owners. They're also dong it properly with tokenisation - thanks to Visa and Mastercard etc - so where credit is due let's not just be "nah nah nah Apple did this first.."
I am not surprised that Samsung would call its payment implementation as Samsung Pay, but for Google to also go the similar route is utterly disappointing. Google, can you innovate anymore?
The name aside, what irks me, even though I'm not a fan of Android (I have plenty of family and friends who are, of course), is just the lack of clarity in their announcements. I may not be a fan of Android, but I like to be an educated consumer, so of course I go searching for Google's announced "Android Pay" at google.com and none of the results are pointing to a google page. I go to Android.com, and nothing...
I agree with an earlier poster that this will foster competition and improve everything for everyone, but it would just be nice if Samsung and Goggle didn't, within a 24 hour time span, announce 'competing?' mobile payment solutions (and fostered better competition against Apple). I'm not trying to be facetious, but it sometimes seems as though they (Carriers, Google, Samsung?) want Apple to win? Or maybe the strategy is to confuse consumers, and have people assume that Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay are all the same solution, with different backers (which a lot of people will do).
When Apple announced Apple Pay it was clear (to anyone who found and understood the (easily accessible) material) the difference between Apple Pay being used in-apps (which some people wrongly thought/assumed Apple would be keeping a 30% cut of), Apple Pay being used at an NFC enabled POS terminal and in-app/App store purchases.
Samsung Pay is supposed to be far better than ApplePay because they have a way to make it secure AND let it work at non-NFC terminals.
Sounds like a good thing for Samsung. That's a big deal. There are many stores that we shop that don't have NFC and don't plan to do so for the immediate future. The only thing I have found for NFC is a vending machine at work???
More like Windows Pain
Combine this with several major banks spending millions to advertise an Apple product (Gwen Stefani for example) and it's easy to see why Android is scrambling.
If they can't develop a secure eco-system (and I doubt they can), this game is over.
The typical Appleinsider forum blanket crapping on the competition.
Appleinsider typical comment synopsis:
1. Apple is awesome and does no wrong
2. Everyone else is crap and stupid
When Apple is wrong or not perfect: remain silent and pretend it didn't happen
When competition is correct or does something good, remain silent or dismiss the competition as stupid/wrong/incompetent/inferior.
Have a nice day! (And Android suck in every way, didn't you know?)