Android Pay is taking its fight against Apple Pay international

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android-pay-is-taking-its-fight-against-apple-pay-international-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509Android-Pay-png
Android Pay is expanding its reach.
Photo: Google
Android Pay is expanding its reach. Photo: Google
Android Pay is expanding its reach. Photo: Google

Android Pay, which made its debut in the U.S. just five months ago, is already gearing up to take its fight against Apple Pay international.

The U.K. will be the second market served by Google’s mobile payments system, according to a new report — and Britons will be able to sign up by the end of March.

“Google will announce that Android Pay will be available in Britain from the end of next month, industry sources said,” reads a report from The Telegraph. It’s unclear when that announcement will come, but with March just a day away, we expect it to happen soon.

The U.K. is already equipped for mobile payments services, with retailers big and small now carrying compatible payment terminals equipped with NFC. Apple Pay has been available in the U.K. since last July, while banks have been offering “contactless” cards for some time.

Samsung Pay, which competes directly with Android Pay on Android-powered devices, was expected to launch in the U.K. alongside the Galaxy S7 around March 11. But with Samsung still yet to confirm that rumor, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that will happen.

Google could have a slight edge over one of Android’s biggest vendors early on, then — and an even bigger edge over Apple, with more than half of smartphones sold in the U.K. running Android.

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