Logo: Google, photo/montage: teltarif.de
As reported, Google wants to improve security when using its mobile payment service. The smartphone must be pre-unlocked when accessing Google Pay if it has not been used recently anyway. It is not known how long it has been since the last use. According to previous tests, a re-unlock can be requested after about one to three minutes.
The additional unlock request is displayed at the top of Google Wallet, as shown in the short test conducted by teltarif.de. Activation was possible using the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone used in testing via the fingerprint sensor. This feature is certainly well-intentioned, but it can delay the payment process at checkout.
Web version with limitations
However, there are other innovations to Google Wallet. The service is now also available in a new web version that can be used on desktop. Examples of use include managing stored cards or accessing customer cards when shopping at the respective online stores.
In our short text, customer cards and event tickets are found in the web version of Google Wallet. However, the Google Pay payment cards added to the smartphone were not shown. The menu item for adding new cards was “grayed out”.
Display wallet cards on the home screen
As Google Watch Blog reports, individual cards from Google Wallet can now also be stored on the smartphone's home screen, so that these cards can be accessed more quickly. As with many features available on Android, this improvement appears to be rolling out gradually. This did not work in our short test.
He went on to say that the tickets and entry tickets can be amended by the relevant organizer in the future if necessary. This is practical if the start time of the event changes or if the flight departs from a different gate than the one initially reported. Last but not least, Google Wallet will also support the popular file format from Apple Wallet in the future.
In another report, we report on the availability of Google Pay in another bank in Germany.
