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McDonald's Leak Tips Android Pay Launch This Week

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Heads up, Android users. A new leak suggests that you may soon be able to pay for your Big Mac and fries with a swipe of your phone.

Android Police got its hands on an internal notice to employees at McDonald's, which reveals that Google's new mobile payment service, Android Pay, will launch on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Google has not yet announced when it plans to launch Android Pay beyond the vague promise of sometime "later this year." McDonald's is one of the Android Pay launch partners Google mentioned when it unveiled the new mobile payment service, along with Macy's, Nike, Best Buy, Subway, and Staples.

As for whether it actually launches this week, we'll just have to wait and see. As Android Police noted, "there's no doubt Google would inform [McDonald's] ahead of time of Pay's approximate launch window, if only to prepare employees." Even so, "it's equally possible this date relies on old information and that the launch has since changed, we just don't know."

Unveiled in May, Android Pay will let you purchase items with a swipe of your phone. To pay, you'll just need to unlock your phone and wave it over a payment terminal that supports Android Pay or NFC. An alert will then confirm your payment. Loyalty card information can be added to Android Pay and automatically applied at purchase.

Google said that Android Pay is supported by American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover, as well as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. It will work at over 700,000 stores, and within apps that sell physical goods and services, like Lyft, Grubhub, and Groupon.

The notice at McDonald's, meanwhile, also notes that Samsung Pay would launch on Aug. 21. That's incorrect—Samsung has said it will arrive in the U.S. on Sept. 28. The Aug. 21 date is actually when Samsung's latest phones—the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+—hit stores. Android Police chalked that up to "an honest mistake," and said the Android Pay date "does seem reasonably likely," but we'll have to wait until Wednesday.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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