Its three years since this thread started, and according to their call centre today, they still don't support Google Pay, which has all my other cards. Isn't this pathetic in this day in age? Every other bank seems to support Google Pay.
They suggested I also set up Samsung Pay, which they do support, for the Barclaycard. However, how will the phone know which payment app to use when I go to pay?
Its all down to security as to why they don't allow Goggle Pay as Google allow every app to have access to the NFC chip in there devices hence the greater risk of possible fraud.
Apple on the other hand only allows the NFC chip to be used for Apple Wallet and no other apps have access to it, hence the lesser risk of potential fraud.
There is a way you could use your barclaycard with google pay and that is by downloading the Curve card app and linking your barclaycard to it and then add your curve card to google pay.
I assume your phone will know which payment app to use because you select which app you want to use when you go to pay!?!
It maybe pathetic to you but Barclaycard have decided that there is a greater risk of potential fraudulent access via google pay and have decided they aren't prepared to take that risk.
I suspect the real reason is that because android is an ‘open’ platform app developers can utilise the NFC functionality within their own apps. Hooking into Google Pay would require Barclays to share a portion of payments made with Google rather than keeping all the payment fees themselves when using their own app.
On the iPhone Barclays have no option but to use Apple Pay.
It’s yet another one of those situations where an ‘open’ platform results in worse outcomes for actual consumers in terms of what they want.
There is no cost to card issuers with allowing their cards to be used via Google Pay. Google charge no fees for Google Pay, the transaction is still processed via the Visa, Mastercard or Amex network who charge the same as they do for using the card.
It is nothing to do with Android being an open platform and everything to do with Barclaycard trying to force people to use their substandard app.
The Barclays app is hopeless because you can never be sure that a contactless payment will work, often requiring you to log in before you can make a contactless payment. Highly annoying because it's impractical to do this in a supermarket queue, especially if there's no mobile signal which is often the case. Heaven help you if you've filled up the car, finished a restaurant meal or are checking out of a hotel !
As part of sensible security precautions I leave the NFC turned off and deny the app permission to make phone calls; there's no reason to enable these features until they are needed. However, this seems to make the app sulk. If Barclaycard were any good they'd just launch a pop-up at the appropriate time. The app is also a rip-off because it dials a chargeable number rather than the 0800 number shown on the card.
There are only two good things about the Barclaycard app, firstly that you can turn off the contactless feature on the plastic card and secondly that you can require all mobile transactions to be PIN verified. The £100 contactless limit will soon be a fraudsters' charter, especially as many arrogant banks refuse to issue non-contactless cards. PIN verification at least redresses the balance to some extent, although presumably it won't stop offline contactless purchases such as on TfL buses.
If you want a non-contactless card - issuers will generally have a non-contactless option available on request.
Unfortunately a non-contactless option is becoming increasingly rare, most seem to say that it's their way or the highway, e.g, Tesco Bank, Barclaycard, Aqua/New Day, Citi.
The Barclays app is hopeless because you can never be sure that a contactless payment will work, often requiring you to log in before you can make a contactless payment. Highly annoying because it's impractical to do this in a supermarket queue, especially if there's no mobile signal which is often the case. Heaven help you if you've filled up the car, finished a restaurant meal or are checking out of a hotel !
As part of sensible security precautions I leave the NFC turned off and deny the app permission to make phone calls; there's no reason to enable these features until they are needed. However, this seems to make the app sulk. If Barclaycard were any good they'd just launch a pop-up at the appropriate time. The app is also a rip-off because it dials a chargeable number rather than the 0800 number shown on the card.
There are only two good things about the Barclaycard app, firstly that you can turn off the contactless feature on the plastic card and secondly that you can require all mobile transactions to be PIN verified. The £100 contactless limit will soon be a fraudsters' charter, especially as many arrogant banks refuse to issue non-contactless cards. PIN verification at least redresses the balance to some extent, although presumably it won't stop offline contactless purchases such as on TfL buses.
£45 limit is no more or less a "fraudster's charter" than £100, people who steal a card would have to risk going into a shop (risking CCTV, having their face recognised by staff etc) and still won't be able to get high value stuff they can easily fence. Plus the card can be stopped in seconds on the app. Ironic you're having an issue with the payment app, using the app (or google/apple pay) means you could leave your card at home and avoid risk of it being stolen by paying with the phone.
He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.
Replies
It is nothing to do with Android being an open platform and everything to do with Barclaycard trying to force people to use their substandard app.
Apparently my Huawei phone does not support it. Or is it the app that doesn't support my Huawei phone?
It is a phone with Google Play Store access (i.e. before the change) so it is not that stopping it.
£45 limit is no more or less a "fraudster's charter" than £100, people who steal a card would have to risk going into a shop (risking CCTV, having their face recognised by staff etc) and still won't be able to get high value stuff they can easily fence. Plus the card can be stopped in seconds on the app. Ironic you're having an issue with the payment app, using the app (or google/apple pay) means you could leave your card at home and avoid risk of it being stolen by paying with the phone.
He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.
-Harold Wilson