It looks like we could finally see tap-to-pay on Android Wear devices very soon, judging by details uncovered in Google Play Services 10.0 by Android Police.
In tearing down the apk of Google Play Services 10.0, Android Police has discovered strings of text that directly refer to Android Pay, as well as instructions for offering the device back up to a payment terminal in the event of a failed payment.
Contactless payment has been a long time coming for Android Wear devices, and many people thought it would be introduced in 2014 when ASUS launched the first NFC-equipped Android Wear device.
Counting down the hours
The ability to quickly and easily make contactless payments is a big draw for consumers and it’s something Samsung and Apple have already offered for a while now. So it’s for the best that Google catches up in this area sooner rather than later.
Of course, if you have a Samsung Gear S3 you already have access to contactless payments, just not through any Google-supported software. Instead Samsung wearable owners can use Samsung Pay, which works on any device running KitKat 4.4 or later.
It’s likely that Google’s developers are perfecting the tap-to-pay features in time for the launch of Android Wear 2.0, which was delayed and is now expected sometime in early 2017. Just make sure your Android Wear device supports NFC before you get too excited.
