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.
Xiaomi has expanded availability of its Smart Band 11 fitness tracker to Europe, after earlier limited launches in China, South Korea and Hong Kong. The standard model costs €59.99 while an NFC-equipped version is priced at €79.99, with the band offered only in its metal-cased design for now.
Brick, maker of an NFC tap-to-block productivity tool launched in September 2023, is introducing a new Bluetooth-enabled device aimed at nighttime use. The device automatically blocks a user's chosen apps once they enter their bedroom, extending Brick's screen-time-limiting approach beyond daytime productivity into sleep routines.
Brick has released the Brick Night, a $129 device that automatically blocks selected phone apps using Bluetooth when a user enters a designated room, such as a bedroom. Unlike the original $59 Brick, which requires tapping the phone against the device via NFC, the Night version works passively within a configurable zone up to 25 feet by 25 feet and supports multiple users with individual settings.
The UK Competition and Markets Authority has proposed requiring Apple to let third-party developers access its iPhone NFC and Wallet features, including Face ID and double-click-to-pay, at substantially lower fees. The regulator says Apple's current fees and closed access rules are blocking UK fintechs from launching competing payment wallets, unlike in the EU where Apple opened such access in 2024 under an antitrust settlement.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched a consultation proposing that Apple widen third-party access to its contactless payment technology and substantially lower the fees it charges firms to use it. The regulator says current restrictions block fintechs and other developers from building competing payment, ticket and travel apps. Apple disputes this, saying its system already enables secure innovation and that lowering restrictions could weaken security.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority says Apple has not matched the terms it offers European developers for accessing the iPhone's NFC chip, leaving UK developers facing high fees, strict terms and technical restrictions. CMA chief Sarah Cardell said these barriers make it too hard for challengers to build competing contactless payment services. The regulator has opened a public consultation on forcing changes, while Apple rejected the proposal but said it would keep engaging with the CMA.
Startup Veritas has released a new version of its authentication chip that works on metal surfaces and can be scanned through glass, extending its use beyond garments to jewelry, trophies and fragrance bottles. Founder Luci Holland says the chip generates a unique secure response on each tap and includes a tamper-detection wire, tying a product's digital identity directly to the physical object. The company also announced a partnership with ATHLOS, the women's track competition founded by investor Alexis Ohanian, embedding its chips in all 18 championship crowns.
Google’s October System Services update introduces NFC functionality for Find Hub-compatible trackers, allowing users to tap a tag to access details or identify lost items. The update also simplifies setup by enabling naming, categorizing, and configuring features like Left-Behind Reminders during registration. Additional enhancements include displaying card artwork and payment logos in notifications and minor attribution changes for Google Maps integrations.
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.
Users on Reddit and other forums have reported intermittent or complete failures of tap-to-pay on Pixel phones since mid last month, affecting devices from the Pixel 9 series onward, including the Pixel 11 and Pixel 10 Pro. ZDNET says Google has not yet acknowledged the bug or issued an official fix, though restarting the phone appears to resolve the problem for some users.