Android Pay and Google Wallet are consolidating under Google Pay brand

By Daniel Bader
last updated

Since it was announced back in 2015, Android Pay has overshadowed another legacy Google payment brand, Google Wallet, which, though it once offered in-store payments, has since been relegated to a cross-platform peer-to-peer money exchange system.

Today, that all changes as Android Pay and Google Wallet are combining to form a single payment brand under the Big G: Google Pay. For existing users of both services, the move is mainly just a logo refresh, but down the line Google says it will take considerable advantage of these new synergies. The branding will also encompass other ways users pay for, and with, Google services, such as on the Play Store and when automatically filling out credit card details in Chrome.

With Google Pay, it'll be easier for you to use the payment information saved to your Google Account, so you can speed through checkout with peace of mind. Over the coming weeks, you'll see Google Pay online, in store, and across Google products, as well as when you're paying friends.

To entice people to sign up, Google is working with a number of retailers on promotional items, such as $10 off any $50+ order at B&H (opens in new tab) or $5 off a Fandango ticket (opens in new tab). Google also says that some apps, such as Airbnb, Dice, and Fandango, have already updated their branding, while more will come in the next little while.

So no new features or countries supported with this announcement, but it's nice to know that Wallet is sunsetting properly and Google is taking payments more seriously than ever.

Daniel Bader
Daniel Bader

Daniel Bader was a former Android Central Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor for iMore and Windows Central. 

35 Comments
  • The rebranding makes sense since other Android manufacturers have payment apps, so calling it Android Pay was to broad. Google Wallet hasn't seen much progress so hopefully it can be boosted under the Google Pay umbrella as a feature within the service.
  • Nice, makes sense
  • I wish they’d do the same for the messaging apps
  • Neato. Rebrand all day long, Samsung pay is still better and Apple pay still owns the mindshare.
  • Apple does have the mindshare, and Samsung Pay has the advantage of working on older terminals, but Samsung Pay is a band aid solution that slows down adoption of modern readers.
  • finally. hopefully the p2p money transfer of google wallet stays.
    "Google is taking payments more seriously than ever." this link to HP recalls??
  • Google will give up on it like everything else....
  • Soo about that Allo Sms intergration xD
  • This was the logical move when the moved Google Wallet to Android Pay in the first place....
  • It should have been called Google Pay instead of Google Wallet back in the day. Google Wallet used to do the same thing before Android Pay was made. Now it just seems everything is coming full circle.
  • At this point I think MST is the only reason I have a Samsung device, so as soon as El Goog supports MST then I can start looking around.
  • Pretty sure Google won't have mst anytime soon because Samsung bought the patents when they bought looppay and refuse to liscense the tech because it's the only advantage they have in electronic payments
  • Why would Google want to support MST it's ancient technology that only North America is clinging onto whilst the rest of the world embraced NFC?
  • I would hope Google does not bother with obsolete tech. Let's move forward!
  • Exactly
  • I used MST a few when I had the S6 and it was cool but I don't miss it at all. I do wish more ATMs accepted NFC transactions.
  • I don't want ATMs to use nfc as it increases the incentive for phone theft. Using nfc in a shop you're surrounded by other people, but at an ATM you may be very vulnerable.
  • So... First, they release Google Wallet, which allows both NFC purchases and money transfer. Then, they split the functionality so Wallet is only for money transfer, and Android Pay handles NFC payments. Now, they're merging the two services back together? WTF? Why split them in the first place?
  • I was thinking the same thing. Way to go in circles.
  • The way I see it.
    Google separated the 2 services to better code and lock down the security of each service across multiple devices. Once they got everything locked down, they merge em back together to bring a more secure functional service to the android ecosystem :)
  • Yeah, I was wondering whether I was remembering that correctly! Hopefully Allo boomerangs back into Messages by 2019.
  • I thought Google was the search engine of the company. Why not call it Alphabet Pay?
  • Because Google has become much more than a search engine at this point. Since Google developed an ecosystem with its software and apps, then decided to venture into hardware it had no choice but to keep the name. They're taking over Nest so I would expect Google Security, Smart Home branding to become more prominent.
  • Wait for it...
  • Quick! Someone check to see if it supports SMS and RCS! /s
  • it does sound a like a good idea. "Over the coming weeks,..." they love to never actually specify a date for things to happen. makes one wonder how their management operates. does their legal department put that in all their legal documents to avoid being on the hook for anything, ever?
  • It's a world wide company and things don't happen in different countries at the same time, which creates a problem when it comes to specifying dates. I don't really see the issue. It's not like I need to make an appointment with someone to use the renamed service for the first time.
  • Sure, but they could always mention whatever planned dates that they know of. But it's more fun to just say "in the future" :p
  • They spun off NFC payment processing from Google Wallet into Android Pay, removed the ability to add any card, and are now re-combining them? We're back where we started! Was this a shell game from the beginning, just to turn the old Google Wallet into approved banks only?
  • Now if only they can consolidate their numerous messaging apps...
  • This gives me hope that they'll consolidate their messaging and calling/video calling apps one day. Maybe this year? One can dream.
  • What would be amazing is if they could get every bank that supports Apple Pay to support Google Pay. I'm looking at banks like Charle Schwab who've been blowing smoke for 2 years about this. Maybe then we'll be cookin' with gas.
  • Samsung pay is best, and doesn't force me to use a friggin screen lock on my phone! I open Samsung pay by swiping up, tap the fingerprint sensor, and pay. Also, you idiots who keep saying MST is 'old technology' need to brush up on your facts. It's great to have NFC as well, but MST is anything but old. Still trying to find intelligent life on here...
  • Glad it works for you. Calling people idiots isn't going to make your point any more credible. People aren't really saying MST is old technology. They're saying that MST "supports" old technology. Magnetic stripes are old technology. No sane person would argue otherwise. Yes, MST allows emulation of the mag stripe and provides some encryption on top of that. That's all well and good, but it is something that would not be necessary if the U.S. market would get with the times. The U.S. has been behind for a long time. NFC terminals are ubiquitous everywhere else. It's nothing but laziness, greed, and an unwillingness to change with the times. As for actual execution of Samsung Pay versus Android/Google Pay, your own post shows that Android Pay is easier to use. With Android Pay, I don't need to seek out and open the app. All I have to do is unlock my phone (for me, I use my fingerprint). Then I tap to pay. No opening an app. No unlocking the app. No swiping up. You consider it an inconvenience to have a lock on your phone? See if you feel the same way when you lose or have a phone stolen. Anyway, continue to enjoy Samsung Pay. Whether it is the "best" is your opinion. But no one is an idiot just because they don't share your passion for that platform or ecosystem.
  • As long as I can make mobile payments from my online balance (what is currently Google Wallet balance), I really don't care what they call it. Right now, you can't fund Android Pay payments from your Google Wallet balance. I hope this change makes that happen.