Google eyes e-payment options

Google plans to offer an electronic-payment service this year that could help the internet search company diversify its revenue and may heighten competition with eBay's PayPal unit, the Wall Street Journal claims.

Exact details of the search company's planned service were not known, the report said, but it quoted sources as saying it could have similarities with PayPal, which allows consumers to pay for purchases on websites by funding electronic-payment accounts from their credit cards or cheque accounts.

A Google spokesperson wouldn't comment.