Android Pay is live in the UK

From now on, devices running Android 4.4 or higher and fitted with an NFC chip will be able to use the service.

Until now, the facility had only been available in the US and the company mentioned that they had chosen the UK as the next place to offer mobile payments because of British familiarity with contactless payments. More than that, nearly 60% of the countrys smartphone users own an Android handset.

Apple Pay has been in use in the UK since 2015, with thousands of retail outlets - from sandwich shops to the London Underground - now accustomed to customers using their phones to pay.

For now, just as with Apple Pay, most retailers will only allow payments up to GBP 30 using the smartphone. The promise is that a software upgrade to payment terminals will allow higher amounts.

In addition, at launch, many Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards will work with the app, although Barclays customers will not be able to use Android Pay. That is because the bank is going it alone, making contactless payments available through its own mobile banking app.