Barclaycard is rolling out its own flavour of Android Pay, but still no love for Apple

Barclaycard app
Barclaycard app

Barclays is introducing a new way to pay through its Android app allowing for NFC payments from the your phone with a Barclaycard for the very first time.

Android Pay is in the works, which will do a similar thing, but Barclaycard has got ahead by announcing a new way to pay directly on your Android phone. You'll be able to make contactless payments of £30 without a PIN and £100 with a PIN.

The only problem is that it won't be launching until November this year, and we're expected to see Android Pay appear before then - although Barclaycard is unlikely to be supporting it.

Further delays

Barclays is generally behind the curve on contactless payments, choosing to focus on its own system instead of doing what consumers really want: supporting services like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

A Barclaycard spokesperson said: "We announced earlier in the summer that we will be bringing Apple Pay functionality to Barclaycard customers." So it's coming, but it might be a bit more of a wait.

The update also brings a new service for Barclaycard customers that will allow you to get a virtual replacement for your lost or stolen card.

Replacing your card with a virtual contactless payment system is an interesting idea, but there's no word on whether the payments will still work when your card is cancelled and a replacement is incoming.

The new update to the app will come in November this year and is available on the Google Play Store for free. There's no word on whether the iOS app will see the same contactless payment upgrades.

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.