PayPal Mobile updated, brings along slew of new options

[wuyanks]

PayPal for Android has been somewhat of a headache to use in the past. Poor UI, lack of features, and an overall unpleasant experience has had many people ditch the mobile app and stick to the web-based version for basic functionality. Well, that's all about to change. PayPal has finally updated its Android app to reflect the same features that its iPhone app had enjoyed for quite some time. Specifically, PayPal Mobile for Android now has the "bump" feature, where you can "bump" phones to transfer funds from one person's account to another. There is also a new feature, called "Split the Bill", which will automatically divvy up a bill, including tax and tip, between a group of people out for dinner; all you need to do is input the e-mail or phone number of each group member, and PayPal will request the funds for you.

PayPal has also drastically improved the UI, so standard features such as sending and requesting funds, withdrawing money from your account, viewing accounts and history, and setting reminders are much easier to accomplish. From the mobile app, you can now even set a PIN and access your account via that PIN. Oddly absent is an option to deposit money, but I'm sure that will be added shortly. So, anyone give the latest PayPal app a shot? What are your thoughts?

PayPal Mobile is available on the Android Market for free. Direct Market link here

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via Android Central

[dfuser10332]

I don't understand d how or why you would use this. If you're splitting a bill with someone I'd use my tip app. If you're purchasing something on the web it seems to me that an app would be a pain. Somebody can explain to me how I'm wrong. Please.

[ajacksified]

I don't understand d how or why you would use this. If you're splitting a bill with someone I'd use my tip app. If you're purchasing something on the web it seems to me that an app would be a pain. Somebody can explain to me how I'm wrong. Please.

A lot of times, when friends and I go to lunch, we don't have cash; so if we go and get something like pizza, we need an easy way to transfer money. This app would be useful in that situation.

Their website is horrible in mobile (try selecting "withdraw", for example... not happening), so hopefully this will let you do things like transferring to your bank account.

[khelek]

I'm with you, I don't think it'd be useful for paying for things on the web -- I think it's more of a person to person thing.

For example, I don't carry cash with me, I pay for most everything with a debit card. So if I'm in a situation where I need cash, I might have to depend on someone to cover me with the promise of getting their money back. Trying to give them back cash means going to an ATM and hoping I remember to give it to them the next time I see them. Paypal, of course, means I can just send it to them. Paypal as an app on my phone means that I can send it to them right then and there. If they have the Paypal app, then we can do a cute little "WonderTwins" move and transfer the money that way.

I certainly admit, I don't see using this on a daily or monthly basis (I've had the previous version on my phone for some time and haven't used it, I have no friends that use Paypal and who I mooch money from. Or I just have no friends). But, I can see it as a good "just in case" app, and if they're throwing in cool features with it, I'm in!

YMMV, of course

[johnomaz]

Do people actually use PayPal that much and what are the odds of everyone having paypal?

[khelek]

Do people actually use PayPal that much and what are the odds of everyone having paypal?

According to appbrain, 250,000+ apparently find some use for it.

<shrug>

Does everyone have PayPal? No. But, like a lot of tech, it depends on your locale. I live in Northern Orange County, NC. Circle of friends I keep in that neck of the woods don't. I also work in tech at a major University. Vast majority of the circle of acquaintances I keep at work do.

So, while I'll never use it to reimburse my pastor for lunch one day, I could easily see using it to give money to a work acquaintance (and did, back when I bought his ENV from him in 2007!)

Again, YMMV

[Varking]

Think about all the people that sell things on Amazon or Ebay, the majority of them likely use PayPal. Now think of how many people buy and sell virtual goods or accounts for video games. Most of them likely use PayPal to do this. I would wager mass amounts of people use PayPal. I am one of them and I know many of the people I work with also have a PayPal account.

I don't know how often I would use their app, but their previous iteration of it was terrible and made 0 sense for me to use it. I will use this for a bit and see if it is worth keeping. If it isn't much improved, it will be off of my phone in hours.