Google is paving the way for the imminent rollout of Android Pay with a brand-new Google Wallet app.
The company is always updating its Android apps, but this latest version of Google Wallet is a brand-new, stand-alone download for US users.
This reflects Google Wallet’s soon-to-be-extended remit once the company’s mobile payment system rolls out. Up to now, Google Wallet has been a pretty basic app intended to help transfer money between friends, or to make online purchases.
As noted by The Verge, the new Google Wallet app is still concerned with such digital payments, but you can now tie them in with your bank accounts, making it far more of a serious mobile payment platform.
The two versions of Google Wallet now exist side by side, although the older one isn’t showing up on the US Google Play Store. The new one functions as above, while the old Google Wallet will eventually be updated to Android Pay – Google’s Apple Pay rival, which should be rolling out soon.
SEE ALSO: Apple Pay vs Samsung Pay
Earlier in the week, Google confirmed that Android Pay would be launching in the “next few weeks”, and revealed the aforementioned split between Google Wallet and its new payment system.
Unfortunately, there continues to be no sign of the Google Wallet app here in the UK, nor has there been any news from Google on when Android Pay might make its way to the UK.
Check out our smartphone group test video below:
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.