Commbank's Kaching Mobile Payment App Arrives For Android, But With No NFC Functionality
Nick Gilbert
at 12:48 PM Jul 5 2012
Commbank/YouTube
Gadgets // 

Imagine the joy when CommBank customers discovered the bank was today releasing its mobile payments app, Kaching, for Android eight months after the iOS version launched. Now imagine some of the disappointment when it arrives sporting a number of iOS interface holdovers and zero NFC/Paypass functionality.

[Update] There is currently no ETA in terms of adding NFC functionality to the Android app, with journalists at a Q&A session told there were not enough devices to warrant working it in to this release. It also appears there are programming issues associated with accessing the NFC chip built into some Android phones.

The app, released on Android today but available on iOS since October, was the first from an Australian bank to provide contactless payment functionality using near-field communication technology, as well as integration with users' Facebook and mobile contacts so as to provide easy ways to transfer money between friends and family.

While the Android version brings in all the Facebook and mobile parts to the party, NFC, arguably the app's standout feature, is notable by its absence.

In our admittedly short time so far playing around with the app on a Samsung Nexus S (running ICS, but really a last generation device), we noticed performance was a little sluggish in places, with a number of iOS-like interface menus and components present. The app appears in most respects to be a fairly straight up-and-down port of the iOS version.

Having said that, the quicker transfers and easy balance checks the Kaching app also allows are genuinely useful, although as we mentioned, the performance might not be up to scratch on some devices, which is always a problem with the diverse Android ecosystem.

Users on Twitter are already reporting that the app also doesn't appear to work on rooted devices.

The app launch is still underway, with a Q&A session to come, so we'll update as we go.

You can download the app from Play here.

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