Google tests new mobile pay with wallet that can stay in your pocket

Ever since Google launched Android Pay last September, the company has managed to acquire 1.5 million new registrations each month in the U.S., and there are now over two million locations that accept the tap and pay feature.

With that success, Google has decided to test-out another digital payment method, which the company is making available to San Francisco residents.

“Imagine if you could rush through a drive-thru without reaching for your wallet, or pick up a hot dog at the ballpark without fumbling to pass coins or your credit card to the cashier,” Pali Bhat, Senior Director, Product Management, writes on the Google Commerce Blog.

This idea prompted the company to develop Hands Free, a new payment method which allows users to keep their wallet in their pocket for the duration of the entire purchase.

The pilot is still in early stages but it’s currently available on Android and iOS devices and is rolling out to a small number of McDonald’s, Papa John’s, and local eateries in the Bay Area.

Once the app has been installed and set up, it uses Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, and location services on your phone to detect whether you’re near a participating store. When you’re ready to pay, you can simply tell the cashier, “I’ll pay with Google.” The cashier will then ask for your initials and use the picture you added to your Hands Free profile to confirm your identity.

Google is even experimenting with visual identification to make the check-out process even faster by using  in-store camera to automatically confirm your identity based on your Hands Free profile picture.

Learn more on the Hands Free website.