
Android Pay launches in UK - shazzy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36320321
======
neverminder
Well, it doesn't work for me at the moment (Nexus 6P). I'm getting "Android
Pay can't be used" message when trying to add a card. It's worth noting that
my bootloader is unlocked and the phone is rooted (stock ROM). It will be a
shame if it requires phone not to be rooted, because as much as I'd like to
use Android Pay - I like my ad blocker better.

~~~
mpclark
This is almost certainly because it is rooted, IMHO. All the serious
banking/payment apps I have seen won't run on a rooted phone as they can no
longer be sure of the integrity of the device.

~~~
IshKebab
I haven't rooted and it says "Android pay is not available"

~~~
IshKebab
This turned out to be because I also had the HSBC app installed, and there is
a global setting to choose which contactless provider to use. Helpful error
message.

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dazc
"...although Barclays customers will not be able to use Android Pay. That is
because the bank is going it alone, making contactless payments available
through its own mobile banking app."

Barclays being one of the major banks in the UK

~~~
leadingthenet
They're doing this again? I thought they already caved for Apple Pay.

~~~
bowersbros
Give them time, once their customers realise they're being shafted, they'll
soon change their mind.

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oarsinsync
> I've had a preview of the Android Pay app, and if anything it is even
> simpler to use once you have uploaded your cards to the app.

That'll be amazing. I just got an Apple Pay enabled iPhone and I'm loving it.
Used it on the London Underground, with the Starbucks app, at McDonalds, and
it's wonderful.

Gone are the days of having to fish out all my cards from my wallet to find
the card I want to pay with.

If Android Pay can deliver an as-good or better experience, fantastic. This is
good news for everyone.

~~~
robmcm
I hope you prep it before you use it on the underground, otherwise you'll
cause a pileup behind you.

~~~
oarsinsync
Of course. I'm not an animal. :-)

I used to get really frustrated when my Oyster card or contactless credit card
fail on first read. Didn't happen often, but often enough to annoy me. Has yet
to happen with Apple Pay, but I've not been using it anywhere near as long.
It's definitely quicker to read Apple Pay than it is to read my Amex.

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pmx
I'm glad they have finally launched in the UK. My GF is ALWAYS leaving the
house without her bag and with no money, but she always has her phone on her.
At least now there is less chance of her needing money and not having it on
her. I do wish they had support from more banks though.

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orf
I think this might be too late, all the banks have launched contactless cards
themselves. It may be convenient to have them in your phone (irregardless of
any security risks), but I mean if you already have a contactless card, what's
the point?

~~~
dgoujard
contactless card are less secure than an tokenized mobile app because
contactless card send you credit card number with NFC without encryption.

Tokenized app send one time credit card number.

[http://www.planetbiometrics.com/creo_files/upload/article-
fi...](http://www.planetbiometrics.com/creo_files/upload/article-
files/apple_pay_-_what_do_we_know.pdf)

[http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/05/android-pay-will-
emb...](http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/05/android-pay-will-embrace-
tokenization-mostly-replace-google-wallet/)

[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandcon...](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/12061474/Contactless-
cards-spark-security-fears.html)

~~~
the_mitsuhiko
> contactless card are less secure than an tokenized mobile app because
> contactless card send you credit card number with NFC without encryption.

Only in the United States. In mainland Europe NFC has always used EMV
authentication between terminal. Also as an aside: a european credit card's
number alone is kinda useless.

~~~
edent
I'm not quite sure that's the case. Using an NFC app on my phone, I was able
to get my credit card's number without any issue. Also had the expiry date and
a list of transactions.

[https://twitter.com/edent/status/724639270284189696](https://twitter.com/edent/status/724639270284189696)

True, it didn't have the CV2(?) number on the back - or my address - but
enough to make me buy an NFC shielded wallet.

~~~
tonylemesmer
is that info stored inside the card?

~~~
edent
On some, yes. My MasterCard had a list of previous transactions. I wasn't able
to get anything out of my Amex.

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mr_sturd
Doesn't work for rooted phones [0]. I guess I'll have to wait a little longer
before mutilating my contactless card.

[0] [https://i.imgur.com/Pkx4SRP.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/Pkx4SRP.jpg)

~~~
davotoula
[http://www.xda-developers.com/google-security-engineer-
expla...](http://www.xda-developers.com/google-security-engineer-explains-
issues-with-root-and-android-pay-in-the-xda-forums/)

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cheriot
The last coffee I bought before leaving Shanghai was difficult because the
register was nearly empty. Every customer in line in front of me had payed
with their phone. While I waited, I watched every customer behind me do the
same.

Even African economies have more extensive mobile payments (though I don't
envy the motivation).

We're behind on this one.

~~~
sametmax
And it's a very dangerous situation. It will make the cash disapear more, and
more, meaning big entities will control money more and more and individuals
with a have smaller and smaller margin to build things that are not aligned
with them. If (when) anything goes wrong, citizen will have no safety net.

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kriro
Replacement of the Oyster card would be pretty cool, especially for tourists.
Assuming they can still calculate the smartest price at the end of the day.

How secure is NFC in general? How are these payment systems protecting against
someone setting up a fake system to read out CC data?

~~~
shawabawa3
> Replacement of the Oyster card would be pretty cool, especially for
> tourists. Assuming they can still calculate the smartest price at the end of
> the day

It already works as an oyster replacement as it's the same technology for
contactless cards. Contactless cards get the same fare caps as oysters

~~~
joncrocks
Works as an oyster replacement, for 'pay as you go'. Not if you have any kind
of travelcard, AFAIK.

~~~
snowwolf
You can use it for a Monday-Sunday travelcard [https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-
payments/contactless/what-is-ca...](https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-
payments/contactless/what-is-capping#on-this-page-3)

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davotoula
Can confirm this is now live.

Using latest Android pay app from APKMirror, nexus 6p and HSBC card I've made
my first Android pay purchase ever.

That coffee tasted oh so sweet!

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wastedhours
Just used it - absolutely faultless. Slick implementation, although the
MasterCard verification system is being hit hard this morning.

------
suaveybloke
I wish my John Lewis credit card was supported. Sigh.

------
firasd
I find these products like Apple Pay and Android Pay to be too old-school,
doubling down on the dependence on banks and credit cards. They need to go
ahead and load funds into the app like a digital wallet.

Two links about this (first link is by me) (1)
[https://medium.com/@firasd/mobile-wallets-in-india-growth-
op...](https://medium.com/@firasd/mobile-wallets-in-india-growth-
opportunities-slide-deck-70539cc003c8) and (2)
[http://adage.com/article/opinion/china-s-mobile-payments-
war...](http://adage.com/article/opinion/china-s-mobile-payments-war-
global/301488/)

~~~
kyriakos
This is something a company I used to work for tried to do and failed. I do
agree thats the way to go but there are some obstacles we didn't manage to
overcome: 1\. trust - will people trust their money to be deposited in the
digital wallet? unless you have a massive banking institution behind you the
public might not be so eager to use your system. 2\. you need a convenient way
to transfer money to digital wallet. if that method is a credit card the whole
system breaks down because someone has to absorb the cc transaction fee. 3\.
banks have good relations with Visa/Mastercard/Amex and cause friction when
you have to deal with them for a system that takes away profits from the
credit card companies.

~~~
firasd
Yeah, maybe they're taking off in India and China because of a "leapfrog"
opportunity. For example, pre-paid digital wallets are used to pay for ride-
sharing, whereas in the U.S people just use the same card that they already
use often at CVS, Starbucks etc.

The other aspect that I think a lot of financial innovation will depend on is
a "killer app". In India it's been phone 'recharge'\--most people have prepaid
phones, so you can add balance using the mobile wallet app instead of going
out to find a nearby shop or kiosk to do it for you. And in the case of China,
WeChat integrates so many services that it makes sense to have a wallet
integrated into its many offerings. In the U.S, Venmo is instructive too,
about focusing on a product rather than a method or technology.

