[APP] Pay Enabler (Google Pay on Oreo outside US/UK/ES/AU/CA etc.)

[moneytoo]

Android Pay stopped being officially supported/working on Android Wear (starting with the Oreo update) outside US/UK: https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/...ate-disables-android-pay-users-outside-us-uk/ and https://support.google.com/androidwear/thread/26579

I created small proof of concept app that streamlines launching/enabling of Android Pay so even with it disabled, it will only take up to two additional taps to pay with Android Pay:

1. Launch "Pay Enabler" (instead of Android Pay). If Android Pay is already enabled, Pay Enabler will just launch it directly.
2. Tap "Enable" (not needed since version 5, requires Accessibility service)
3. Tap "Open" (not needed since version 4)

Note 1: Google started geo blocking Google Pay on Wear OS H (Android Pie/9) so Pay Enabler doesn't work on newest firmwares. It still works on Oreo.
Note 2: When connected to iOS, Play Store requires standalone connectivity (WiFi or cellular data) for enabling as it doesn't use caches (unlike when paired with Android).

Download
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brouken.wear.payenabler
Source: https://github.com/moneytoo/PayEnabler

They added few more countries but there is still dozen more countries affected.

To use Google Pay on your watch, you need to: Be in the US, UK, Italy, Spain, Australia, Canada, Poland, Russia, or Germany.

https://support.google.com/pay/answer/7293863

Update 2018/11/19:
Uploaded Pay Enabler version 5 here to XDA (not on Play Store, yet). It uses Accessibility service to automate enabling of Google Pay, no more tapping "Enable". (Source is also available on Github.)

• Requires manual enabling in "Settings -> Accessibility -> Pay Enabler".
• Works only with English - texts "Google Pay" and "Enable". Post texts in your languages and I will include them (That shouldn't be necessary as of version 5d which supports two dozens of languages - at least for the "Enable" button).
• Accessibility service is registered only for Play Store so it shouldn't cause basically any battery drain (as it doesn't poll anything)

Update 2018/11/29:
Version 5 submitted to the Play Store.

Update 2018/12/16:
Version 6 fixes detection of the enable button in some non English languages (cs, fi, hi, ko, th).

 

[AstroDigital]

For me I have no issue yet, never got 8.0 and I do not want it.
I bought this watch for Android Pay and it has worked fine since May 2017.
Even though I hate Samsung for abandoning Android Wear, I maybe forced in time to try Samsung Pay; I know my Canadian Bank supports Samsung Pay.

Anybody have any clue why Android Pay on the Android Wear watch only works in the US, UK when other countries support it ?

 

[jobrima]

For me I have no issue yet, never got 8.0 and I do not want it.
I bought this watch for Android Pay and it has worked fine since May 2017.
Even though I hate Samsung for abandoning Android Wear, I maybe forced in time to try Samsung Pay; I know my Canadian Bank supports Samsung Pay.

Anybody have any clue why Android Pay on the Android Wear watch only works in the US, UK when other countries support it ?

This app is a good solution until Google finally fixes. Thank you!

Enviado desde mi SM-G930F mediante Tapatalk

 

[TRoN_1]

No, no, thank YOU Mr Acavano.

Thanks for the fix!

 

[leandrocassis]

Android Pay stopped being officially supported/working on Android Wear (starting with the Oreo update) outside US/UK: https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/...ate-disables-android-pay-users-outside-us-uk/ and https://support.google.com/androidwear/thread/26579

I didn't test it myself (yet, I'm still on Nougat) but based on user reports, Android Pay is only getting disabled (by Google Play services?). It is reported that payments are still working if it's manually enabled.

Based on this, I created small proof of concept app that streamlines launching/enabling of Android Pay so even with it disabled, it will only take two additional taps to pay with Android Pay:

1. Launch "Pay Enabler" (instead of Android Pay). If Android Pay is already enabled, Pay Enabler will just launch it directly.
2. Tap "Enable"
3. Tap "Open"

Version 1 vs Version 3
It was reported to me that Android Pay doesn't show up in Settings (list of installed apps) so since version 2 it uses Play Store for manual enabling. (I will try if I can open the app manually from background once enabled to save the second click to "Open").

Download
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brouken.wear.payenabler
Source: https://github.com/moneytoo/PayEnabler

My friend, if you find a way to enable android pay on the wear24 i'll get a lot of money, you can sell a app to do this, there's a lot of people looking for it include me! The wear24 is very cheap on ebay, by without android pay is a little useless.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-wear/help/verizon-wear24-to-unlock-carrier-t3715300

 

[erwinsie]

Im in Australia, Google play store says my device is not compatible with this app.
Downloaded the version 1 and 3 apk, but upon installing it says there is a problem with parsing the package.
Help?

 

[moneytoo]

Im in Australia, Google play store says my device is not compatible with this app.
Downloaded the version 1 and 3 apk, but upon installing it says there is a problem with parsing the package.
Help?

The app is compatible only with Android Wear devices running Android Oreo. You must either select your watch when installing from web or search for Pay Enabler in Play Store directly on your watch. It's standalone app for Android Wear and nothing gets installed elsewhere.

 

[erwinsie]

The app is compatible only with Android Wear devices running Android Oreo. You must either select your watch when installing from web or search for Pay Enabler in Play Store directly on your watch. It's standalone app for Android Wear and nothing gets installed elsewhere.

Ah, ok. Got it. No worries it works. Than you very much from Australia.[COLOR="Silver"

 

[adambomb_13]

Just to be clear, this will not work on nougat?
Because as mentioned before it would be great if this brought android pay to the wear24. Verizon's videos show the watch with the android pay app so its obviously a possibility.
Thanks

 

[transitnowapp]

For me I have no issue yet, never got 8.0 and I do not want it.
I bought this watch for Android Pay and it has worked fine since May 2017.
Even though I hate Samsung for abandoning Android Wear, I maybe forced in time to try Samsung Pay; I know my Canadian Bank supports Samsung Pay.

Anybody have any clue why Android Pay on the Android Wear watch only works in the US, UK when other countries support it ?

Thank you OP, it works! I wish Google would fix this or just re-enable.

And how does Samsung Pay on Gear (watch) devices work? I heard it doesn't unless you hack it hard.

 

[AstroDigital]

Thank you OP, it works! I wish Google would fix this or just re-enable.

And how does Samsung Pay on Gear (watch) devices work? I heard it doesn't unless you hack it hard.

Really do I need to spell it out ?
If I am forced to use a Gear I would need to dump "Google" Pay and use Samsung Pay.

But for now my watch has not been upgraded to Oreo works fine, I will never upgrade to Oreo as my first choice.
If I have to in time go to Oreo and have the same issue everybody outside of the UK, and US has I will do two things get annoyed at the arrogance of Google "hey we do not care if you been using Android Pay now Google Pay for months, we will stop you" then I will install the Pay Enabler.

The chances are I will never be forced to by a Gear, though new watches with NFC have not been released.

 

[dhdasilva]

I'm using it since yesterday and it is so much helpful. Thank you so much!

 

[moneytoo]

They added 3 more countries but there are still 14 more countries affected.

To use Google Pay on your watch, you need to: Be in the US, UK, Spain, Australia, or Canada.

https://support.google.com/pay/answer/7293863?co=GENIE.Platform=Android&hl=en

 

[jobrima]

Great news! Thanks

Enviado desde mi SM-G930F mediante Tapatalk

 

[Mart1neZ]

Is there any way to emulate being in the US from the watch? I get to the download page with the app, but can't download it as it "is not available in my country". Any way to bypass this?

 

[rico33333]

Is there any way to emulate being in the US from the watch? I get to the download page with the app, but can't download it as it "is not available in my country". Any way to bypass this?

Had the same problem. A long time ago I had created a Google Account via US VPN. Now I added this as a second account on the watch and selected the account in the play store and it works.

I hope it still works like this.

 

[ikijibiki]

It's not just Android Wear

Will your fix also work on "regular" Android 8.1 on a smartphone? I have the same issue with Google Pay on my Nexus 5x, as I now live in Hungary.

In my case, the "back-end" part of Google Pay continues to work, and I can make payments at contactless terminals using my installed credit or debit cards. But the "front-end" user interface part is disabled just as described here. If I need to change the payment card used for a transaction (or add or remove a card) it's a real pain in the ass to enable the app.

Ironically, the availability of contactless payment terminals in Hungary is excellent, while in the US they almost don't exist.

From the little research I've done on the internet, there are lots of people with Google Pay on smartphones facing the same issue, and so you might want to consider a version of your fix for the rest of us!

 

[moneytoo]

Will your fix also work on "regular" Android 8.1 on a smartphone? I have the same issue with Google Pay on my Nexus 5x, as I now live in Hungary.

In my case, the "back-end" part of Google Pay continues to work, and I can make payments at contactless terminals using my installed credit or debit cards. But the "front-end" user interface part is disabled just as described here. If I need to change the payment card used for a transaction (or add or remove a card) it's a real pain in the ass to enable the app.

Ironically, the availability of contactless payment terminals in Hungary is excellent, while in the US they almost don't exist.

From the little research I've done on the internet, there are lots of people with Google Pay on smartphones facing the same issue, and so you might want to consider a version of your fix for the rest of us!

As Hungary is not a country supported by Google Pay, are you using your payment card that was issued by US bank? I'm curious to know what is Google Pay policy on using it abroad (as on vacation or expat) - I thought the bank requirement was only for setup/card linking. (I understand you're talking about frontend vs backend as all card data and emulation is done by Google Play services)

Anyway, you should be able to use the attached apk in the first post.

 

[ikijibiki]

As Hungary is not a country supported by Google Pay, are you using your payment card that was issued by US bank? I'm curious to know what is Google Pay policy on using it abroad (as on vacation or expat) - I thought the bank requirement was only for setup/card linking. (I understand you're talking about frontend vs backend as all card data and emulation is done by Google Play services)

Anyway, you should be able to use the attached apk in the first post.

Yes, all my cards are from US banks. Although I now live abroad, all my banking/finance is still US-based. I've been using Android Pay and no Google Pay for about a year without any issues from either Google or my banks. My banks are fully aware of my situation and have been really great about shipping new credit and debit cards to Hungary.

There are rare occasions where the terminal has some issue with the phone emulation, but mostly using the phone is the fastest way to pay, as the fingerprint authentication to unlock the phone eliminates the need to enter any PIN. Interestingly, as all US chip cards are non-PIN and require a signature, when using the phone to pay, I also don't need to sign any slips. The two-factor authentication does all the work.

I'll download the apk and give it a try. Thanks!

---------- Post added at 08:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:54 PM ----------

I'll download the apk and give it a try. Thanks!

No joy. Payenabler-3.apk won't install on my phone.

 

[moneytoo]

No joy. Payenabler-3.apk won't install on my phone.

My bad. It only works the other way (phone apps work on Wear). Please see the first post again for "-phone" version.