Google plans to introduce hands-free mobile payments later this year

SAN FRANCISCO — Google just showed off what might be its most promising mobile payments app yet, and it's not Android Pay.

The company will begin testing a new standalone app called "Hands Free" that allows people to make purchases without ever touching their phones or a point of sale terminal, Google's head of payments Sridhar Ramaswamy revealed during a session on Android Pay at the company's I/O conference Thursday.

Rather than so-called "tap to pay" NFC payments apps like Android Pay and Apple Pay, Hands Free will let customers complete transactions by saying "I want to pay with Google." Google will begin testing Hands Free this year at McDonald's and Papa John's stores in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year. Businesses interested in being part of the preview can sign up on Google's website for a shot at being part of the early test. Read more...