Tech giant Google launched Android Pay in the United States. (Photo : Reuters)
Tech giant Google announced on Sept. 11 that it will launch its own electronic payment system, Android Pay, in the United States. The new payment system from Google will allow users to use their Android devices in paying for services around the country and the company claim that it is supported by more than one million stores.
According to Fox Business News, Android Pay works on all Android devices with near field communication (NFC) capabilities. The new payment service will run on devices running on the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system or newer. The system is also supported by major financial institutions in the US.
Following the launch, Google released a statement saying, "We will continue to add even more features, banks, and store locations in the coming months, making it even easier to pay with your Android phone."
Android Pay is supported by some of the biggest retail chains in the US including Whole Foods, Macy's and Walgreens. When Android Pay was announced in May, Google claim that it can also store gift and loyalty cards as well as credit and debit cards from four major payment institutions: Discover, American Express, MasterCard and Visa.
According to CNet, Google also claim that its electronic payment system will work on mobile apps in the near future.
Paying using Android Pay is as simple as bringing the supported mobile phone near a card terminal so that it can establish a connection and process the payment.
Android Pay is not Google's first foray into electronic payment market. In 2011, Google launched its first credit card and payment service called Google Wallet. However, the service was not well received and Google ultimately shut it down.
