Google is working on an API level payments service called Android Pay, but it won’t compete with Wallet

Google is working on its own OS-level payments service called Android Pay, according to comments made by Chrome and Android’s SVP Sundar Pichai.

While Pichai confirmed the initiative, he was quick to point out that it won’t be another consumer-facing service like Google Wallet, for example.

“We’re working on something called Android Pay. It’s an API layer in Android, so that all the mechanics of payments can be done in a standardized and consistent way,” Pichai said.

He added that because Google is attempting to integrate a payments system at the OS level, it won’t actually compete with things like Samsung’s newly-announced Pay service or its own Google Wallet.

“At a user level, people love different services… We always try to win the user’s hearts and minds. At an Android level, it’s a consistent API framework making everything possible,” Pichai said.

He also confirmed that it would tie into biometric features offered by handset makers for things like payment authentication in the future.