Android Pay to finally debut in UK in coming months

While Google's Android Pay and its rival Apple Pay have had a fairly comparative start in the US, Apple's mobile payments system has had a big head start in the UK. It seems Google has been aware of this fact as well, as the company has announced that Android Pay will finally be coming to the UK, with a timeframe promise of within "the next few months."

Like Apple Pay, Android Pay relies on NFC for making payments, and since Apple's option has been paving the way since last summer, Android users will at least benefit from a wide range of locations where they can make contactless payments.

At launch, Google says Android Pay will support Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards from eight financial institutions: Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA, and Nationwide Building Society.

Unfortunately, Barclays, one of the UK's biggest banks, isn't on that list, but then it still hasn't offered support for Apple Pay either, instead trying to compete with its own contactless payment platform. Google says more financial institutions will be added over time, and at least Londoners will be able to make use of it at launch with the city's Tube network.

SOURCE Android Blog