Google Pay has always simplified payments online, in-store, and between friends. While it has continuously been one of the most popular mobile payment platforms, Google isn’t content to leave it as-is.
The company announced on The Keyword that it is completely reworking Google Pay with a new focus on relationships with the people and businesses you deal with all the time.
Google Pay Gets Reimagined
The new Google Pay app focuses on the friends and businesses you pay most frequently. You can quickly see all of the transactions and offers from a particular place. It’s all structured around conversations, so it should feel natural for anyone who’s ever used a smartphone.
Google announced an easier way to split payments with friends and loved ones that’ll make it easier to keep track of who has paid and who hasn’t. And for anyone who hates math, Google Pay promises to handle all of it for you.
Outside of making payments, Google is also focusing on helping you manage your money with the new Google Pay. You need to connect your cards and bank accounts to Google Pay, and it’ll provide spending summaries and trends over time. You can also search transactions across various payment methods, which will make it easy to see where your money is going.
The company is also integrating offers into Google Pay. It has worked out deals to automatically redeem offers from Burger King, Etsy, REI Co-op, Sweetgreen, Target, Warby Parker, and others.
Of course, while Google Pay is changing, it will continue to serve as a contactless payment service accepted at all sorts of places. With that, Google has improved the security of the app. It protects you with advanced security and gives you transparency and control to choose the privacy settings.
In the future, Google is set to partner with banks to offer Plex, a new mobile-first bank account integrated into Google Pay. The digital bank accounts will offer no monthly fees, overdraft charges, or minimum balance requirements. Google has partnered with 11 banks and credit unions to bring this feature to Google Pay.
When Is the New Google Pay Available?
The update is slated to come to both Android and iOS devices in the US, so if you’re a Google Pay user, you should be able to take advantage of the new features right away. However, the digital bank accounts won’t be available until 2021, so you’ll have to wait a little while to sign up for one of those.
To try out the new app, download the latest version of Google Pay on Android or iOS. From there, you’ll be able to take advantage of the new features and the increased level of security.