Android Pay helps Brits keep track of their Tube spending
Daily travel summaries, incomplete journey notifications and more.
It might have been late to the party, but Google is determined to make Android Pay the de facto payment solution for non-iPhone users in the UK. An update going out "this week" will add some deeper integrations with Transport for London (TfL), including incomplete journey notifications -- so you'll know when you forgot to tap out -- and daily travel summaries, complete with station names and bus numbers. Together, they should help you track your spending habits and spot when something strange has occurred, warranting further investigation and possibly a refund from TfL.
Android Pay is also being baked into the UK Uber app. As an extra incentive, Google is offering a £5 discount if you use its service to pay for rides this Christmas. The deal is valid for 10 journeys and expires on December 31st, so you'll need to act fast if you want to save some money on travel. Finally, Google is pushing a Christmas promotion called "shop, tap, reward" which gives you a virtual cracker after every purchase. Pull them apart and you might win one of 100,000 gift cards. A shallow ploy to earn your patronage and long-term adoption? Absolutely, but hey -- there's nothing to stop you from abandoning the app once the festivities are over.