Google Wallet’s “Tap And Pay” On Non-KitKat Handsets Says Goodnight From April 14

They say that all good things must come to an end, and with Google’s “Tap and Pay” feature on smartphones which run on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or lower, the “Tap and Pay” ride would end from April 14th onwards. Basically, after April 14th, only Android smartphones which run on Android 4.4 KitKat will play nice with Google Wallet’s “Tap and Pay” capabilities. Basically, the “Tap and Pay” feature enables one to tap a handset to a pad in the area of the POS checkout machine, so that your bill at that point in time will be paid via a debit or credit card which has been synchronized to your virtual wallet.

Do bear in mind, however, that this does not automatically translate to Google Wallet being closed for smartphones which run on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or lower, just the “Tap and Pay” feature will no longer work on such models. Google Wallet can still be used to stash away loyalty cards, for you to send money to friends and family, as well as make purchases using the Google Wallet Card.

Google shared, “We wanted to let you know about an update to Google Wallet that might change the way you use the app. Right now it looks like you’re using tap and pay with a device running an Android version older than 4.4 KitKat. On the newest version of Android, tap and pay works with different technology for an improved experience. As a result, starting on A​p​r​i​l 1​4, 2​0​1​4, tap and pay will no longer work for devices with older Android versions…Tap and pay will be available for most devices running Android 4.4 KitKat. If you are able to upgrade to KitKat now, you can check if your device supports tap and pay. Supported devices will display a tile in your “My Wallet” screen that tells you to set up tap and pay. For devices that are not eligible for Android 4.4 KitKat or don’t support tap and pay, you can still use the Google Wallet app to store all of your loyalty cards and offers, send money to your friends, view your orders, and use the Google Wallet Card to make purchases.” [Google Wallet]

Filed in Cellphones. Read more about Google and Google Wallet.