Google seems to be taking the flourishing digital wallet market more seriously than ever, rebranding Android Pay as Google Pay at the beginning of the year, killing off Google Wallet to minimize confusion, and most recently lumping Tez into the company’s main platform for online payments as well.
When that latest move was announced, the Mountain View-based search giant promised “many of the innovations and features” pioneered in India would eventually be expanded to other countries.
Well, you may want to hold on to your hats, as QR code payments, which were previously exclusive to the India-focused Tez service, might indeed come to other regions soon enough.
Granted, this is not exactly an innovative feature that will help Google Pay stand out from rivals like Samsung Pay or close the popularity gap to Apple Pay. In fact, the QR (Quick Response) code system is significantly older, less reliable and secure than the NFC (near-field communication) technology that will remain at the core of Google Pay.
But it’s always nice to have options, and as long as you understand certain risks associated with its use, the QR functionality is likely to make life easier for folks with older, humbler Android phones.
Peer-to-peer Google Pay transactions, which are still a fairly new thing for the platform, will probably support QR code technology in a simple and convenient way. In a nutshell, you’ll be able to scan a QR code to “easily transfer money to a person nearby” instead of using NFC, according to a screenshot shared on Twitter by an increasingly reliable coder and leaker.
This doesn’t appear to be live just yet, and Google never explicitly mentioned QR scanning when teasing the global arrival of various Tez-first features. But it’s probably only a matter of time now.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
![T-Mobile users can get iPhone 16 for the price of a budget phone (no new line) [UPDATED]](https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/167601-wide-two_350/T-Mobile-users-can-get-iPhone-16-for-the-price-of-a-budget-phone-no-new-line-UPDATED.jpg)
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: