Google has announced it will release Android Pay in Australia during the first half of 2016, allowing users to make mobile payments by tapping their Android smartphones on terminals.
Most
of the major financial institutions in Australia – ANZ, Westpac, St
George, ING DIRECT, Macquarie Bank, Bank of Melbourne, Bendigo Bank
and Cuscal – are looking to take up this technology for their
customers next year. Google said it aims to get more banks involved
throughout 2016.
Android
Pay will allow Visa, MasterCard and debit card holders to make
payments, with Google currently working to include eftpos.
Google
is also integrating its Android Pay with apps such as GoCatch,
Menulog, Kogan.com, OzSale, Catch of the Day, EatNow, Rewardle and
The Iconic. This means users can pay for these products and services
directly through their mobile phone.
Australian
retailers that are looking to come on board when Android Pay launches include Coles Supermarkets, Coles Express, 7-Eleven, Crust Gourmet
Pizza, Domino's Pizza, Pizza Capers, Telstra, Brumby's Bakery,
Michel's Patisserie, Donut King, Gloria Jean's Coffees and
McDonald's.
Braintree,
eWay, First Data and Stripe are also getting involved to help make
Android Pay an easy form of payment across Australian stores and
apps.
Android
Pay will also allow users to store their loyalty cards, gift cards
and special offers.
For
merchants, Apple Pay will integrate with their existing payment
infrastructure to process mobile payments. Elliptic
Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme secures the payments, with
standard tokenisation which doesn't reveal users' actual card numbers to
merchants.
In
November this year, Apple released its Apple Pay in Australia.
However, it is only available to American Express customers.
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