PayPal Switches on NFC for Android Phones

Bank technology

PayPal's Mobile-Wallet Twist: It Lets Users Change Their Minds

PayPal Inc., a pioneer in alternative online payments, is now seeking to stake a new claim in the burgeoning and increasingly congested mobile payments space — and what sets it apart may be a three-year-old acquisition.

By Jeremy Quittner

November 4
Bank technology

PayPal to Add Mobile NFC Payments

PayPal is pushing harder in mobile payments by promising near-field communication support for Android handsets.

By John Adams

July 13

PayPal Inc. has delivered on its promise to activate contactless payments for its mobile wallet.

The eBay Inc. subsidiary said Tuesday on its blog that the latest update to its app for Android handsets adds support for near-filed communication. PayPal, of San Jose, previewed its plans to do so in July.

Using NFC, PayPal customers can exchange money by tapping their phones against each other. The process is similar to the "bump" system PayPal uses on non-NFC phones, such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone. Such phones use a built-in accelerometer to detect the bump.

PayPal also updated some aspects of the app's interface.

Daniel Wolfe

Content Director, Payments and Credit Unions, American Banker

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