Starbucks has made two announcements designed to further expand its popular mobile payments app. It is updating its Android app in the US and has introduced the same app to the UK and Canada. Mobile payments in the coffee chain in the two countries were previously only possible via iPhone.

Updates to the US Android app include support for PayPal, PIN code protection and the introduction of a Starbucks widget for the homescreen of smartphones so that users can quickly view their account balance, rewards points, store locator as well as make payments. This updated version of the app is also available in the UK and Canada except for PayPal support which will not be available for the UK.

Starbucks has proved one of the most successful retailers in accepting mobile payments by adopting a relatively low-tech approach that uses 2D barcode technology to handle mobile payments rather than NFC.