Unfortunately, American users of the Google Pay app will find that Google is retiring the app and will have to switch to Google Wallet instead.
Google announced today that it is looking to simplify its payment apps in the US. The company plans to achieve this by removing the Google Pay app from devices. According to Google, users have until June 4, 2024 to switch to another app.
The statement comes from Joris Van Mersfg, Group Product Manager at Google Pay. In it, he took the time to list some of the key benefits of switching to Google Wallet, as well as some of the complications that might arise for those who don’t. Until the deadline, users can continue to manage most of their Google Pay balance in the app and continue to view and transfer money from their bank account on the Google Pay website.
One of the big changes is that as of June 4, users will no longer be able to send, request or receive money through the app, meaning it will be little more than a means of checking account balances on the go. It’s worth noting that this only applies to the US version of the app at this point.
It is also noted that Google Pay will no longer alert users to upcoming offers that may pique their interest. The search giant recommends using alternative options such as the Shop Deals feature found in Google Search. This could be one of the biggest losses for long-time customers and may require Google to offer some form of integration of the Shop Deals feature into Google Wallet.
Google is apparently working on improving the overall integration of Google Wallet to make it the best payment consolidation app on the market. While this could be a big loss for many Google customers in the US, it’s good to see the company is working to give them a better alternative. We will keep an eye on this story as it develops and will inform you of any changes.
