Android Pay
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| Original author(s) | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | |
| Initial release | September 11, 2015 |
| Operating system | Android KitKat 4.4 and above |
| Platform | Android |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
Android Pay is a digital wallet platform developed by Google to power in-app and tap-to-pay purchases on mobile devices, enabling users to make payments with Android phones, tablets or watches. Android Pay uses near field communication (NFC) to transmit card information facilitating funds transfer to the retailer. It replaces the credit or debit card chip and PIN or magnetic stripe transaction at point-of-sale terminals by allowing the user to upload these in the Android Pay wallet. It is similar to contactless payments already used in many countries, with the addition of two-factor authentication. The service lets Android devices wirelessly communicate with point of sale systems using a near field communication (NFC) antenna, Host-based card emulation (HCE), and Android's security.
Android Pay takes advantage of physical security such as fingerprint ID where available. On devices without fingerprint ID, Android Pay is activated with a passcode. When the user makes a payment to a merchant, Android Pay does not send the credit or debit card number with the payment. Instead it generates a virtual account number representing the user's account information. This service keeps customer payment information private, sending a one-time security code instead of the card or user details.
Users can add payment cards to the service by taking a photo of the card, or by entering the card information manually. To pay at points of sale, users hold their authenticated device to the point of sale system. The service has smart-authentication, allowing the system to detect when the device is considered secure (for instance if unlocked in the last 5-minutes) and challenge if necessary for unlock information. Spring CEO Alan Tisch said Android Pay improves Mobile shopping business by supporting a "buy button" powered by Android Pay integrated within vendor's creative design.
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