Google has announced that its Android Pay mobile payment system is coming to the UK “in the next few months”.
Recent reports had suggested that Android Pay might be coming to these shores at the end of March, but Google’s announcement suggests that we still have a little longer to wait.
“Android users in the UK are already enjoying many great features of Android from Google Photos to Google Play,” reads a new Android blog post, “and in the next few months Android smartphones will become even more useful with the launch of Android Pay.”
The blog post goes on to outline some of the shops and payment services that will support Google’s Apple Pay rival here in the UK.
On the financial institution side of things, Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA and Nationwide Building Society are all confirmed, with “new banks being added all the time.”
Related: What is Android Pay?
The system should work anywhere that contactless payments are supported, which is increasingly extensive in this country. However, Google specifically mentions some key Android Pay retails partners in Aldi, Boots, BP, Costa, Greggs, KFC, Pret, Starbucks, Superdrug, TfL, and Waitrose.
Perhaps Android Pay’s strongest element out of the box is its support for apps, courtesy of its earlier guise as Google Wallet. Apps from JD Sports, Deliveroo, YPlan, KickStarter, Hotel Tonight and more all enable you to make quick payments using Android Pay.
All of which means that UK Android owners should soon finally have a proper use for those NFC chips that have been shipping with Android phones for the past several years.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
