Google loves a good rebrand. A classic example is Google Talk becoming Hangouts, then shifting course again to become Google Chat — and earlier this month, we saw it again when Google Bard was renamed to Google Gemini. But the most confusing example has to be Google Wallet, a pioneer in the NFC payments space, which eventually got combined with Android Pay and rebranded to Google Pay, only to become Google Wallet again for most users, even though Google Pay stuck around in the US, India, and Singapore. Now, Google is throwing another body on the pile and completing the circle.
Here’s everything Google killed in 2023
All the consumer services Google pried from our hands this year
Google has announced that it is simplifying its mobile payments offerings in the US by sunsetting the Google Pay app, effective June 4, 2024. The company says that you can still access the most popular Google Pay features in the Google Wallet app, but the deals offered by Pay will now need to be found through Google Search. Additionally, you will no longer be able to send or request money from friends and family through the Google Pay app after the deadline date, and the company has not announced plans to implement peer-to-peer payment functionality in Google Wallet.
Importantly, users have until June 4 to transfer any funds from Google Pay to a bank, after which the app will stop working. However, if funds remain in your Google Pay account at that point, you’ll still be able to use the Google Pay website to manage and transfer the money. This site will continue to be the home of credit and debit cards attached to your Google account for the foreseeable future.
Google Wallet is and will continue to be the company’s primary home for mobile payments in the US, allowing you to store credit and debit cards for use with tap-to-pay systems. You can also use this app to save loyalty cards, passes, tickets, digital car keys, and even government IDs in some jurisdictions. Google says that Wallet usage was outpacing that of Pay by a ratio of five to one in the US before this move.
How and if you can add your state identification to Google Wallet
A digital ID is convenient to have if you can use one
While this change may sound sudden, it comes after Google had effectively done the same for all markets outside of the US, India, and Singapore, which were the only remaining countries to have access to the Google Pay app prior to this move. Interestingly, Google Wallet is still not available in India — only Google Pay — and there’s been no word on any plans to change this.
Thanks: Armando
Alex Mitchell is your go-to expert for all things mobile. With a passion for the latest smartphones, apps, and mobile innovations, Alex provides in-depth reviews, insightful analyses, and breaking news about the ever-evolving world of mobile technology. Stay connected with Alex to navigate the fast-paced realm of mobile devices.
