Google is reportedly developing an update to its Apple Pay application that will show users where the NFC antenna on their mobile phones is located.
By Polina Chernykh
Updated
3 mins read
Android Pay seems to be working on a new feature that will allow users to find their device’s NFC chip. As Android Police informed, they found a piece of code inside the app that suggests Google will integrate the service.
With the growing number of various Android devices, it is getting more difficult to view the location of the NFC chip. The problem is that in different phones these chips can be located in different places. A phone from one company can have the chip placed at the top, while a phone from another producer can have it placed in the middle.
“New strings in the Android Pay app show that it will soon educate users about the location of the transmitter in their phones so they won’t have to go hunting on their own. The guide will be accessible through a command titled “How to pay” in the overflow menu,” Android Police wrote.
The code reads: “<string name=”nfc_antenna_location_text”>The NFC chip on your %1$s is located %2$s. Hold this part of your phone to the terminal when paying.</string>”
There will be specific instructions for each model of mobile phones. The code now mentions only 18 models, including all of the recent Nexus devices, many of Samsung devices, from the newer S7 Edge going back to the older Galaxy S5 models, as well as other phones, such as the LG G4 and the Motorola Droid Turbo 2.
The app will show information about the location of the NFC chip in form of a message, but Google could also add a graphic or any other visual guide when the feature will be released.
The new feature may seem trivial for experienced users, but it will definitely make it easier for customers to conduct online payments. The overall usage of mobile payments is still rather low. According to the last year’s Accenture report, only 18% of North Americans use mobile payments on a regular basis, although 52% of them are aware of the technology.
The rate demonstrates that many customers do not feel confident about using mobile wallet apps. The other problem is that many retailers refuse to support Apple pay and other similar payment options, instead choosing to run their own applications.
On Thursday, health services provider, CVS Health, announced it launched its own mobile payment app through a partnership with Apple, Wal-Mart, and Starbucks. CVS Pay, which became a part of the CVS Pharmacy mobile app, will run on Apple iOS and Google Android devices.
However, by creating their own apps, retailers make it more challenging to pay online, requiring users to download multiple apps for different retailers.
Polina is an undergraduate student at Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) where she is studying at the faculty of International Business Communication for a degree specializing in Intercultural Communication. In her spare time she enjoys drawing, music and travelling.
