Commonwealth Bank customers can tap and go with Android Pay and Garmin Watches

The Commonwealth Bank knows the size of their market, they know how many savvy smartphone users they have – and today they’re announcing the availability of Android Pay and Garmin pay to their customers.

Garmin Pay is a new one, it’s come out of the blue in the last few weeks but speaks directly to the super active, super fit who love a great sports watch – Garmin is adding Garmin Pay tap and go facilities into their new watches to cater just to them and Comm Bank cardholders can get on board.

The bank also launched compatibility with Android Pay, the built-in tap-and-go payment system on new Android phones, and in doing so conceded that the independent digital wallet was a part of the future of mobile payments.

The bank says they have 4.4 million app users now with more ways to pay “In June this year we saw weekly transactions across the CommBank app hit $6.1 billion so we know customers love using their phones to make payments and do their banking. Since 2013 our customers have been able to use their smartphones to make payments. By offering customers the ability to pay with Android Pay and with their Garmin smartwatches we are combining choice and convenience.”

Says Michael Baumann, General Manager Everyday Banking & Payments, Commonwealth Bank.

Tragically, and in another slap in the face to Apple iPhone users, the bank added this statement to their release about Android and Garmin pay:

For customers who use an iOS device, CommBank has offered contactless payments via an optional PayTag sticker for more than three years. Customers can use the PayTag sticker to make contactless payments up to $100 by simply tapping their phone.

Yeah, good one – how stupid.

4.4 million app users, yet they fail to break down the percentage that are Android vs iOS, a stat they would know very well.

Android Pay will be available to Commonwealth Bank customers before the end of the year, Garmin Pay will be available next month when the new devices launch.

iPhone users, as always, if you want to use the convenient Apple Pay system, switch to ANZ.