Google To Terminate Tap & Pay Support On All Non-KitKat Devices From Next Month

By Joshua Levenson

Google has officially announced that it will discontinue support for its Wallet Tap & Pay service on all devices running versions of the Android operating system below KitKat 4.4, starting Monday, April 14, 2014.

According to the team at Mountain View, the reasoning behind this controversial decision is due to a newer version of technology being used in the Google Wallet application. Older versions of the OS will no longer be able to support the software, therefore, compatibility for the ‘old method’ is being terminated.

“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.” Says Google, in an email sent out to all Wallet users. “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. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for continuing to be a loyal Wallet user.”

If you own a smartphone that’s currently running Jelly Bean, but is expected to receive the much-anticipated KitKat update in the next couple of months, don’t fret. Upon updating your smartphone to the latest build of Android 4.4, you’ll instantly be granted access to the Tap & Pay service — so you won’t be without the facility for too long.