If you've been touting an Android device for the past few years, you might be familiar with Google Wallet. While the majority of Android users here in South Africa have not made use of Wallet, partly because of legislative disputes with local banks, Google has not slowed down its development of the service internationally.

At Google I/O this year for example, a new version of Google Wallet named Android Pay was detailed, utilising NFC-enabled devices such as vending machines embedded with a proprietary version of Android OS to facilitate cashless payments.   

Now the service is being rolled out to the general public, well, those residing in the US at least, as select Android users are now able to download and use Android Pay freely. Use of the service is dependent on three main elements, registering with Android Pay, along with having a device that has both Android 4.4 (KitKat) and up, as well as NFC functionality.

In America card companies such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo, each affiliated with Mastercard and Visa respectively, are already a part of the Android Pay system. As for how and when local banks will make the move to Android Pay remains to be seen, but with the likes of SnapScan already generating interest, as well as Apple and Samsung creating their own NFC-based cashless payment service, making it available in SA makes sense.