Google is starting to roll out its digital payment system Android Pay in the U.S. today. The new digital wallet allows users to make payments for purchases in stores using their phone.
Android Pay can be downloaded to any phone running an Android operating system of KitKat 4.4 or higher. Upon launch, it will be accepted at over one million locations, including name brands like Toys ‘R’ Us, Whole Foods, McDonald’s, and Bloomingdale’s. In total Android Pay is launching with twenty merchant partners and a fleet of banks (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Bank of America, Capital One, Discover, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, Regions Bank, USAA, Citi, Wells Fargo, and US Bank).
The launch may be a little confusing for existing Google Wallet users, so take note. When current Google Wallet owners go to update the app, it will be replaced with the new Android Pay. Once updated to Android Pay, they’ll no longer be able to make peer-to-peer payments. In order to give friends money, users will have to download the new Google Wallet, which only executes peer-to-peer payments.