Google has confirmed rumoured plans to include Host Card Emulation (HCE) support in its newly launched operating system (OS), the Android 4.4 KitKat.

The provision of HCE will enable users of NFC-enabled Android devices to complete mobile payments without having to access a provisioned secure element (SE).

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Android relies on Application Identifiers (AIDs) to route transactions to the correct applications.

The American internet giant commented on the move: "Android 4.4 introduces a new, open architecture for NFC payments that works with any mobile carrier, and lets apps manage your payment information in the cloud or on your device."

The user taps the phone at the point-of-sale (POS) terminal, prompting the system to select the appropriate AID and transfer the transaction to the correct application.

Upon receiving the transaction data, the app then uses local or network-provided services to verify and carry out the transaction.

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Google said: "With HCE, any app on an Android device can emulate an NFC smart card, letting users tap to initiate transactions with an app of their choice – no provisioned secure element (SE) in the device is needed."

"Apps can also use a new Reader Mode to act as readers for HCE cards and other NFC," it added.

 

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