Hot on the heels of Apple Pay — which more or less has taken off here to lukewarm reception — Google’s not letting their rivals hog the mobile payment service hype.
That’s why they’ve now launched Android Pay in Singapore — the first country in Asia to get it and the third country ever in the world to have the capability, after the US and UK. Android device users across the country can now link up their cards to their phones and tablets, which they can use for tapping payments.
“Singaporeans love mobile and are some of the fastest adopters of new technology in the world,” says Google Singapore country director Joanna Flint. “It’s wonderful to see wide support in Singapore from the banks and the industry for Android Pay, enabling shoppers to use Android smartphones as a way to buy things when they’re on-the-go.”
She’s right about Singaporeans being in love with their mobile devices though — the city-state has one of the highest rates of smartphone adoption in the world at 88 percent, according to Google’s Consumer Barometer last year.
At launch, Android Pay’s already at a far more impressive position than Apple Pay did when it rolled out here back in April. Android Pay works with Mastercard and Visa cards from banks such as DBS, OCBC, POSB, Standard Chartered and UOB — which is far more widespread than Apple’s singular bank (Amex) at launch.
As for participating stores, Android users (running on KitKat 4.4 or higher, mind you) can tap and go at places such as Challenger, Cold Storage, FairPrice, 7-Eleven, Giant, Guardian and more. It’s pretty much the same list of places that already offer contactless payments for iPhone users.
In-app payments are also possible with Android Pay — but only later in the year. When it does arrive, users can pay within apps such as Deliveroo, Peatix, Singapore Airlines and more to come, Google says.
