GoKawiil
Tech News
Google rolled out a redesign of its Wallet app in early October, replacing the horizontal card carousel with a vertical list layout. A columnist at Android Authority reports that switching between payment cards now requires multiple taps or swipes instead of a single swipe, and that viewing card details has also become more cumbersome.
Google's new Fitbit Edge fitness tracker does not include an NFC chip, meaning it cannot support Google Wallet tap-to-pay. Several older Fitbit models, including the Charge 4, 5 and 6 and various Sense and Versa smartwatches, do include NFC and can use Google Wallet, which replaced Fitbit Pay in 2024. Apple Wallet is not supported on any Fitbit device regardless of NFC.
A newly spotted Google Wallet app version (26.43.1009867093) includes a working 'Tap to pay' setting in the verification menu, which Android Authority enabled after it previously crashed. The setting appears to let users adjust how often they must re-verify identity for contactless payments, but still requires unlocking the phone.
Code found in Google Wallet version 26.42.1003171897 points to a new 'Overseas QR payments' feature called Traveler QR. A linked Google support page describes automatic activation when a phone detects it's in a supported region, currently naming only Alipay Plus partner networks in Singapore.
Code found in Google Wallet version 26.42.1003171897 reveals a new 'Tap to pay' option under the app's Verification settings, according to Android Authority. The feature currently crashes the app when selected, so its exact function and security safeguards remain unclear. It appears designed to extend to regular contactless purchases the kind of verification flexibility Google Wallet already offers for transit payments.
Google Wallet recently switched from a horizontal scrolling card layout to a new vertically stacked design, and reports suggest further features like receipt scanning and agentic capabilities may be coming. An Android Authority columnist argues the new stacked layout makes it harder to distinguish similar-looking cards from the same bank, since it removed the alias text shown under each card previously.
Code found in the latest version of the Google Wallet app points to two upcoming features aimed at improving how users add passes and manage payments. The specific functionality has not been officially confirmed or launched by Google.
Google has begun rolling out its Universal Cart feature in the US, letting shoppers track products from multiple retailers in one saved cart within Search and the Gemini app. The tool monitors over 60 billion listings for price drops and stock alerts, suggests promotions and optimal credit cards via Google Wallet, and lets users check out through the Universal Commerce Protocol using Google Pay or complete purchases on the merchant's site. The feature, previewed at Google I/O in May, launches just before Black Friday.
Google has launched Universal Cart, an AI-powered shopping feature first previewed at I/O in May, now live in the US within the Gemini app and Google Search. It lets users save products from multiple retailers into one shared cart, tracks price drops and restocks, surfaces promo codes, and lets shoppers pay via Google Wallet or move items to a retailer's own checkout. Integration with Gmail and YouTube is planned but has no announced timeline.
Google is widening the rollout of a redesigned Google Wallet card selector that replaces the horizontal card carousel with a vertically stacked list of saved debit and credit cards. The new layout opens as a separate screen, leaving transit cards, loyalty cards, and passes accessible from the main Wallet screen as before. Android Authority says the interface, previously seen only by a small number of users, has now appeared on Pixel phones used by its own team.
Google's payment app has gone through several rebrands since launching as Google Wallet in 2011, becoming Android Pay in 2015, then Google Pay in 2018, before reverting to the Google Wallet name in 2022. The two names now refer to distinct but related products, which has caused confusion among users about which app does what.
Google has added a new Map tool to the Gemini app, currently available only on Android and iOS mobile versions. The tool shows users' location on a live map with zoom and search functions, and an 'Explore this area' button that adds map data to prompts. Separately, a beta version of the Google app is replacing the forward-slash shortcut with an @ symbol for accessing skills and connectors.