Android Pay Launch Grows Mobile Payment Options

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Mobile payment has a new competitor to take on Apple Pay.

Google Inc. introduced Android Pay, which allows MasterCard credit, debit, prepaid and small business cardholders to use their Android smartphones for everyday purchases.

Android Pay will be available this summer and can be used by those running the KitKat operating system or higher on their smartphone. According to MasterCard Inc., Android Pay provides a secure transaction as it never shares the actual card number with merchants.

“Mobile payments are here today, and are now an essential part of the core value proposition for new devices,” said Ed McLaughlin, chief emerging payments officer, MasterCard. “With the MasterCard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) and Android Pay, we can now use secure tokens to easily enable payments from a consumer’s connected device. Today’s news extends consumer choice and drives further ubiquity of payments on devices.”

Pali Bhat, director of product management for Google, added that mobile payment is a big priority for the technology giant. "Android Pay will offer people further simplicity, security and choice when paying for things with their Android phones," he said.

As CSNews Online previously reported, convenience stores are reporting having success offering mobile payment options. In fact, mobile payment is the No. 1 feature on the highly successful Flash Foods mobile app, called GoBlue, according to Jenny Bullard, chief information officer for Flash Foods parent company The Jones Co. Inc.