What Happened
Google has officially started rolling out its Apple Pay-competitor Android Pay at over one million locations across the US. First announced in May, Android Pay supports NFC-enabled contactless payment, in addition to storing reward cards and gift cards. Just like Apple Pay, it will be integrated as a payment option in some Android apps, including Chipotle, Etsy, and Groupon. Google has also updated its Wallet app to focus on peer-to-peer payment transfers.
What Brands Should Do
Given Android’s over 1 billion active users worldwide, this may be just what Google needs to catch up with Apple in mobile payments. With more and more consumers starting to incorporate their mobile devices into their shopping experience, brands seeking stay ahead of the digital curve need to start developing a digital payment strategy and incorporating existing reward and loyalty programs into point of sale systems.
Source: Re/code
