Google Inc. this year plans to offer an electronic-payment service that could help Internet-search company diversify its revenue and may put it in competition with eBay Inc.'s PayPal unit, according to people familiar with matter.Exact details of search company's planned service aren't known. But people familiar with matter say it could have similarities with PayPal, which allows consumers to pay for purchases by funding electronic-payment accounts from their credit cards or checking accounts.
Some consumers like PayPal for security it offers, since it allows them to share their banking or credit-card numbers only with PayPal without having to divulge information to merchants.
Officials of Google and PayPal declined to comment.