The recent Apple Pay feature on Apple devices now has a direct competition with Google's take on the mobile payment called the Android Pay which is now available in Japan. The Android Pay has the same purpose as the Apple Pay which is a digital wallet where users can tap to pay using an E reader on their mobile phones.
Japanese Android users can now make transactions and purchases in over 470,000 locations using Android Pay through a prepaid e-money service Rakuten Edy according to CNET. The Android users can download the Android Pay from the Google Play Store but users has to make sure that mobile phone is running a KitKat 4.4 or beyond.
The Android users can create immediately a Rakuten Edy account in their Android Pay app but if users already have an app for the Rakuten Edy, they can also enable it using their Android Pay. Google's latest service, the Android pay is said to indulge users in paying using their smartphone where it was released in the United States back in 2015 which in now available in the UK, Ireland, Poland, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
"And there's more to come. In 2017, we plan to continue working with FeliCa Networks to support more eMoney providers and are working with payments companies like " said Google in their official blog post. "The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Visa and Mastercard in many new ways - such as helping you speed through checkout with Android Pay in your favorite apps." they continued. The mobile payments, including Apple Pay and Android pay will encourage more smartphone users to use their devices to pay items in the stores.
