Android Pay Unveiled at Google I/O Could Make Mobile Payments Ubiquitous

Commentary by Giulio Prisco. Google has announced an upcoming mobile payments framework called Android Pay, Forbes reports. Android Pay will not be a separate payment app, but a platform that enables developers to integrate mobile payments into their apps using an API layer. Google's senior vice president of Android, Chrome and Google Apps Sundar Pichai announced the upcoming payment platform at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona."We are doing it in a way so that anybody else can build a payments service on top of Android," he said at a press event. "In places like China and Africa, we....

Internet giant Google unveiled the flagship payment platform Android Pay at the recently concluded annual Google I/O event. Google's announcement also brings encouraging news for the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin merchants can also utilize the flexible platform to make the payments process easier. "So we've approached Android Pay the same way we approach every other part of the Android family - partnering with the ecosystem - bringing together mobile carriers, payment networks, banks and retailers to deliver you choice and flexibility. And offering developers an open platform to collectively....

There is a lot of excitement in the world of payments these days, especially now that so many companies are focusing their attention on the mobile space. With so many consumers owning a mobile device that has Internet connection capabilities, contactless payments are evolving to this new medium. Android Pay is Google’s answer to mobile payments, and users can now get a free Chromecast when using the option. Bitcoin, on the other hand, offers proper incentives and rewards that are not tangible. In the mobile payment sector, a war is going on between manufacturers and operating system....

In February, Bitcoin Magazine reported Google's preliminary announcement of Android Pay. In June, we reported the official announcement of Android Pay at the annual Google I/O event on May 28 and 29, where Google revealed more information on its upcoming payment platform. On Thursday, September 10, Google announced that it is beginning to roll outAndroid Pay. "We'll be rolling out gradually over the next few days, and this is just the beginning," notes the announcement. "We will continue to add even more features, banks and store locations in the coming months, making it even easier to pay....

The mobile payment ecosystem has never been more competitive than it is right now, as various companies and device manufacturers are battling for supremacy all over the world. Android Pay could be a legitimate contender in this race although it remains to be seen how much traction this solution can gain all over the world. Now that Android Pay is coming to the United Kingdom, Google will face their first test in the in the mobile payments industry. UK Merchant Participation For Android Pay. No matter how attractive a mobile payment solution might be, it all comes down to merchant....