Google has no doubt treated us to some hilarious and amazing inventions over the years; from self-driving bicycles to Google translate for animals – we have seen them all.
Google Pay digital wallet is a platform and online payment system developed by Google to power in-app and tap-to-pay purchases on mobile devices, enabling users to make payments with Android phones, tablets or watches.
Pretty much been in the business of tap-to-pay purchases since early 2011, the Google Pay app has no doubt garnered relatively cold welcome from the public perhaps due to numerous other digital wallet platforms already in existence.
Fast forward to four years later since Apple Pay first launched, and Google’s response has always been a bit of a mess.
From the Android Pay app which supported limited Banks in making a mess in promoting the new Google Pay App.
There are no fees for making purchases on Google services like Google Play or GoogleDrive. You only pay for your purchases, applicable taxes, and delivery fees.
Now, the company is just seeking to simplify all its different innovative payment apps and services aimed at a single product called Google Pay.
NB: If you’re already on Android Pay (Google’s previous app for in-store payments) then you need not bother as all you have to do is to update the app and it will automatically transform into Google Pay.
How to Set Up Google Pay
If you’re completely new to the service, you’ll have to download the Google Pay app from Google Play, just follow the setup instructions to add a payment method and you’ll be ready to go.
If your phone doesn’t have the right hardware to support Google Pay the app will also let you know. Here’s what you need to know about switching to the new app and how to use it.
What Stuff Can Do With Google Pay
Once you have Google Pay set up, you can use it to make payments at physical stores, online, and in certain apps. Here’s how that works.
Mind you, when shopping at an actual store, look for the “GPay” logo as it specifies whether the store supports Google Pay.
Google Pay should launch automatically when you hold your smartphone up to the scanner but if it doesn’t, try repositioning the phone or holding it closer.
Once it registers, follow the instructions on your screen and enter a PIN or sign your name to confirm.
For making online or in-app purchases, you can also use Google Pay. Just look for a button at checkout that says “Buy with GPay” (older logos for Google Wallet/Android Pay will also work). Tap that button and the rest will take care of itself as long as you’ve already set up a payment method.
How to Send Money to Friends With Google Pay
Google also runs a separate app called Google Pay Send which lets you send money directly to friends as the Google Pay app doesn’t support this feature for now.
Google Pay Send, kin of subsidiary to Google Pay allows you to send money to friends and family or to someone using their email address or phone number.
The company currently offers a similar service with its Google Wallet app, which should transform into Google Pay Send soon.
Or you could just wait until that feature gets added to the main Google Pay app, though that could take months or longer—in the meantime, there’s always Venmo.
NB: When you send money to someone using a debit card or your Google Pay balance, they’ll typically get it within minutes.
If they don’t already use Google Pay and don’t claim the payment within 14 days, the money will be returned to you.
Also, you get to send up to $9,999 USD in one transaction or up to $10,000 USD in 7 days for some areas except Florida.
Exciting to also know that Google recently introduced an app named – Tez, which uses a sound technology called audio QR that allows users to transfer and make monetary transactions using sounds to pair two devices
The Google Pay app is here to stay, and the moment we accept its limitless features and free usage, easy transactions are assured.