This is how I mastered Google Wallet like an expert

Europe is one of the countries in the world with a greater penetration of credit card usage. Our country adopted this payment system very quickly, unlike what happened in other countries in the same region such as Germany, where paying in cash is even becoming fashionable again. In countries that experienced later economic growth, cards have not been relevant and have almost shifted from physical cash to electronic payments. China is the best example.

In Europe, payment via mobile devices is also very common and it is not uncommon to see people pay for a simple coffee with your cell phone or with your smart watch. This is possible above all thanks to the integration of the two main operating systems with the country’s banks: iOS and Android.

In Europe, the use of Google’s system is much greater, which is why its payment application, Google Wallet, is one of the most used, although Android allows use the NFC chip to make payments through other applications, Although the most practical is to integrate the cards into the Google application, to also be able to pay on websites.

Payment tips

Paying with the phone is very simple once we have configured the application and the desired cards since we just have to bring the cell phone closer to the dataphone and the transaction will be carried out. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind to avoid making mistakes while paying.

Shortcut. The best way to access the app is usually to click on the icon, but it’s possible to create a shortcut at the top, next to Wifi, Bluetooth or Airplane Mode, to make it even faster. Click on this icon and the payment interface will open. We can also put it as a shortcut on the lock screen.

Default map. If we have several cards associated with the application, it is possible to open one by default. To do this, simply click on the map and enter the settings by clicking on the three-dot icon in the upper right corner. There we click on the option called “Default for contactless payment”.

View the list of transactions. In this same menu we can consult the list of payments that we have made with each card, to see if there is anything that does not suit us. In case we find a strange payment, we can use the Google Maps timeline to remember where we have been and confirm that the payment made makes sense.

Screen lock. To avoid payments by mistake, the application requires that we have a lock on the mobile, whether it is a pattern, PIN or fingerprint. In this way, we will be asked from time to time to use this unlock within Google Wallet to confirm that no fraudulent use is being attempted or that the device has not been stolen.

Lock in case of theft. Another positive aspect of this payment system is that if our terminal is stolen or lost, we can use the Google function to lock or erase it remotely, which would prevent anyone from making payments with the phone if they was unlocked.

Web management. For several weeks, Google Wallet, like most Google services, has had a web version from which to manage most of the service’s data and settings. This can be especially useful when you need to review erroneous notices you might receive, like the one from a few days ago stating that new cards had been added.

Pay on web pages. Another useful Google Wallet integration is the ability to use the cards we have stored in Wallet when making online purchases using Chrome. When we are asked for a card, we can enter the data automatically using the system’s aurofill. Of course, this will only work in the Google browser.

More than payments

But Google Wallet is much more than a payment system. In fact, Google changed the name from Google Pay to Google Wallet to emphasize this. Now it’s possible have all kinds of loyalty cards that we want in the application. In addition, it is possible to include them directly from emails, allowing them to be added without doing anything.

It is also possible to have plane tickets in this application being able to put them through the scanners without having to take screenshots, carry around printed tickets, etc. Of course, it depends on the airline if there is integration or not, but if there is not, we can always create a card with the barcode they sent us.

Aún quedan muchas funciones por añadir a esta aplicación, como el envío de dinero entre particulares. En España Bizum es el sistema de referencia, uno creado por los bancos. Pero Google ha trabajado en el pasado en esta opción, aunque parece que no la ha integrado en muchos mercados, seguramente por la dificultad de ponerse de acuerdo con todas las entidades bancarias. Eso sí, no es la única tecnológica que plantea un sistema para rivalizar con el de los grandes bancos.