Google has just launched an interesting pilot payments app called Hands Free that lets users pay for items with their smartphone, without even removing the device from their pocket.
The app, which is available on both iOS and Android, utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and location services to indicate a nearby participating restaurant or store.
When using the app, all customers need to do is say, “I’ll pay with Google,” and the employee confirms their identity at the end of the transaction with a photo, and asks them to sign their initials.
The experimental app is only available in the south end of the San Francisco’s Bay Area right now, and similar to most mobile payment options, there is no information regarding whether Hands Free will ever make its way to Canada (or, for that matter, outside of Silicon Valley).
The hands free app, which was announced last May during Google’s I/O press conference, is designed to operate as a companion to Android Pay. While only available in a relatively small area right now, Hands Free is an indication of the direction mobile payment technology is likely headed in the future.
Canada continues to lag behind the U.S. in the mobile payment space, though recent rumours indicate Samsung Pay and Apple Pay (with partners beyond just American Express) will soon launch north of the U.S. border.
[source]Google[/source]
