As traditional payment methods, especially cash and plastic cards, are being replaced by digital payment options, Google is planning to simplify the way we go about making payments via our smartphones. Mountain View is already expanding its Android Pay service to more geographical locations but what good would the expansion be without AI. That’s exactly what Google thinks, thus, its uber-smart Google Assistant is being made capable of helping out to complete payments.
As announced on the second day of Google I/O 2017, the tech giant is introducing a completely new Google Payment API to ease the checkout experience on e-commerce platforms. This API will enable third-party developers to charge customers through the Google account, with the tech giant handling the processing and security processes. It isn’t publicly available as of yet, but Google is testing it with a handful of partners in the United States.
This development, coupled with yesterday’s announcement that Android device users will soon be able to effectively make online payments with any plastic card linked to your Google account. Earlier, you had access only to Android Pay, which allowed you to complete transactions on website integrated with the Payments Request API.
Mountain View is building on this functionality by simplifying the money transfer process between friends and family. Yes, Google is taking on some of the most prominent payments majors by porting the money transfer to Google Assistant. You’ll soon be able to use voice commands to initiate money transfers to anyone in your contact.
The process of completing the payments through Google Assistant will be as simple as calling out this AI voice assistant on your device. You will just have to provide a password or identify yourself using the fingerprint scanner to securely send money using the Google Assistant. When the transfer is complete, your friend and family member will receive an email notification about your payment. They will have to confirm the transaction to receive the payment.
On your Google Home or Android device, it’s as simple as saying “Ok Google, send $10 to Jane for pizza.” All you need is a debit card linked to your Google account.
In addition, Google is also introducing a new way to secure offers from your favorite stores. It is also launching a Card Linked Offers API to provide developers with a means to send targeted offers to loyalty card users on Android Pay. It will be made available widely in more countries, including Brazil, Canada, Russia, Spain, and Taiwan. It is also working with PayPal to expand its reach to a wider user base while streamlining the payments experience.
