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Google Just Launched Another Answer To Apple Pay (cnbc.com)

Google launched its latest answer to Apple Pay on Tuesday. It's called Google Pay and replaces Android Pay, a previous solution that let Android users buy goods with their smartphones. From a report: It's also Google's answer to Apple Pay and Apple Pay Cash. Google Pay follows several failed attempts by Google to launch a widespread payment platform. The company launched Google Wallet several years ago before folding it and launching Android Pay. Google Pay combines features from both, including the ability to pay at checkout counters with a smartphone, and even the option to scan into transit systems in cities such as Kiev, London and Portland, initially.

17 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Still trying to Monetize it? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Are they still trying to insinuate themselves into each and every transaction, so they can both datamine and line their pockets?

    Yes, Apple does get a REALLY small transaction-fee; but otherwise, is COMPLETELY blind to the transaction itself.

    I think the transaction fees as simply aggregated into a lump-sum payment to Apple, with absolutely NO per-transaction information divulged to them.

    Until Google will accept that model (which I am SURE they will never do), they can go pound sand.

    1. Re:Still trying to Monetize it? by spire3661 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple is a hardware company. Google is an advertising company. I'll leave it to you to figure out which one is by default more trustworthy of holding onto data.

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  2. Too bad they just can't work together. by jellomizer · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Why can't I use my Apple Device to send Cash to an Android User? Why do stores need to support each device separately?

    While I ask the question, the answer is relatively simple. Each company wants to be the leader in the area, and wants their technology to win, so they don't need to pay royalties to the other.

    Sometimes competition is good, other times it steps on each other and creates problems for the consumers that most just don't want to deal with.

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    1. Re:Too bad they just can't work together. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      Why can't I use my Apple Device to send Cash to an Android User? Why do stores need to support each device separately?

      Why can't it work world-wide either? Android Pay works fine for me in some parts of Europe, but not in Japan even though there are Android Pay logos on the terminals. It doesn't even get rejected, the phone just doesn't react.

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    2. Re:Too bad they just can't work together. by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 2

      Subtitled: "Whatever happened to Quadraphonic Records?"

      Obscure. You probably know what bakelite is, too.

      Yes. Yes, I do.

      Is knowledge a bad thing around here now?

    3. Re:Too bad they just can't work together. by swillden · · Score: 2

      Why can't I use my Apple Device to send Cash to an Android User?

      Because that would require the Android device receiving the payment to be a payment card acceptance device, with a contract with a merchant acquiring bank. There are both technical and contractual limitations in the NFC/EMV world that make this difficult. Same story if you wanted to do this with the phones reversed, or with two Apple devices or two Android devices.

      Why do stores need to support each device separately?

      They don't. Both systems use small variants of the standard protocols, and both are well-supported by all major card acceptance devices. If stores accept one and not the other, that's the store's choice. I'm not sure what would motivate them to do that, and I've never seen one that does, but I guess some must do it.

      While I ask the question, the answer is relatively simple. Each company wants to be the leader in the area, and wants their technology to win, so they don't need to pay royalties to the other.

      No, both use the same technology and neither are due any royalties.

      Sometimes competition is good, other times it steps on each other and creates problems for the consumers that most just don't want to deal with.

      Sometimes, but not in this case.

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  3. Re:Will add supported banks? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 2

    I wish they don't, because they charge a fee to the banks, and banks end-up passing that fee to the consumers and/or merchants (which pass them to consumers) one way or another.

    I also wish banks drop support for Apple Pay for the same reason.

    Yeah, Apple is REALLY putting the screws to the banks!
    0.15 percent. Wooo....

    The banks are REALLY hurtin' now!

    https://www.macrumors.com/2014...

  4. The whole reason I have an Android phone... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...is that you never need to associate a bank account or credit card with it.

    1. Re:The whole reason I have an Android phone... by DogDude · · Score: 2

      Hahahahahahahahaha... You have to associate a Google account with it, which is much, much worse than a credit card. I use a Windows Phone because I don't have to associate any kind of account with it to use it.

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    2. Re:The whole reason I have an Android phone... by dhawton · · Score: 2

      No you don't. There is a skip button and it never pesters you again about it.

  5. Re:Will add supported banks? by fred6666 · · Score: 2

    So you think adding a middle man such as Apple or Google doesn't increase fees for the users in the end?
    What do we say again, I have a bridge to sell you?

  6. Re:Will add supported banks? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 2

    I doubt it. Say you're putting a $10,000 downpayment on a car. Suppose you could use Apple Pay (I don't think you can) or you can save 0.15% and pay cash.

    That Apple Pay transaction costs you $15. It saves you going to a bank, getting a cashier's cheque, then going to the dealer with $10,000 cash in your pocket.

    I'd pay it, no problem. The 2% or so that comes with a credit card transaction is more of an issue.

  7. Re:Will add supported banks? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 2

    They start with 0.15%, but they will raise fees if they manage to get everyone on board with their payment system.
    Also, people had the option to save 0.15% by not using Apple Pay, nobody would be using it. Especially not for big purchases.

    You're just speculating that Apple would raise their fees. And besides, NO ONE will EVER get EVERYONE on board with their payment system; so no worries there!

    The fee is not charged to the Merchant nor the Customer. It is charged to the Bank.

    And do you know what 0.15% of 1000 dollars is?

    $1.50

    So, I don't think anyone is too worried.

  8. Re:Will add supported banks? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 2

    Do you see the merchants claiming they want more Apple Pay, and stop using other payment methods? No? Then it's probably because the merchants don't think it's worth it.

    The Merchant hardly has anything at all to do with it. To them, it's just another cashless transaction. In fact, most Merchants (and even vending machines) that have the capability for NFC payments accept Apple Pay whether they advertise it or not.

  9. Re:Copying Apple for 3+ years by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We are trying desperately to copy Apple for 3+ years and now we have mastered it. Now you can pay with Google Pay with as much ease as Apple Pay. You also get the benefit that we will associate your payment with your gmail, hangout chat messages, location, search, android phone unique id and others. Eventually, we will be able to create your clone who knows more about you than you and will pass the remote identity test better than you can. Good luck if ever our data is compromised either by internal employees or external hack.

    Funny, but Google's been doing the payment thing far longer than Apple - Google Wallet's been around since Android's been around and Google's been doing NFC payments before NFC hit the iPhone (at least for years before).

    The only thing is, Apple Pay is based on standards - EMV. It's really at the very bottom an implementation (ignoring extra Apple pay frilly things for now). That's why It Just Worked at a lot of merchants - if they supported tap (NFC), they implicitly supported Apple Pay as well. The only hard part was getting banks enrolled, but that was more of an Apple and bank thing.

    Google Wallet was based on a debit card - you paid, Google was told about the transaction and Google then charged you. This double-billing meant it was easy to get funding sources (Google even ate the transaction fees), but it required retailer support.

    Google wanted to insert themselves into every transaction. Apple Pay was a more secure credit card.

    The only thing that's going wierdly is all the frilly stuff, like Apple pay being used to outdo paypal by offering person-to-person funding transfers as well. Those things aren't likely to take off.

  10. Re:Love it by Solandri · · Score: 2

    I dunno about the Wallet -> Android Pay transition. But this Android Pay -> Google Pay transition is pretty obvious and expected. Google is putting the finishing touches on Chrome OS. Genericizing their pay system so it's not Android-centric is completely logical and to be expected.

    BTW, there's probably going to be another consolidation transition in the future. Their online shopping/payment system is under Google Express. These probably started as different projects ("pay for stuff online" versus "pay with your phone"), but are growing to where their convergence makes a lot of sense. Like cell phones and PDAs.

  11. I have an answer too by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 2

    It's called cash.

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