what you need to know
- Google Wallet previously allowed users to make small contactless payments without unlocking their device, but the terms varied by region.
- Last month, Google added a disclaimer to a support article warning users that payments would not be completed unless their device had been recently unlocked.
- Now, the change is rolling out across Europe, and users have taken to social media to share their displeasure with the change.
Google is making a change to Google Wallet that will make using contactless payments for small transactions safer, but also more frustrating. Google Wallet works differently depending on where the user is located, and in Europe it previously allowed users to make micropayments without unlocking the device. Thresholds vary by country, and in some places, like the United States, all transactions require the device to be unlocked. Now, Google is making device unlocking a requirement for all users for various reasons, but not everyone is happy with the change.
The company last month updated a support document related to click-to-pay transactions, previewing the shift in Google Wallet behavior (via 9to5Google ).
“Soon, your credit and debit cards will not be charged for retail payments unless you have recently used a verification method, such as a fingerprint or PIN,” the notice reads. “Some users may already require verification to make payments. .If you are asked to verify your identity, please complete the verification steps on your device to pay.”
U.S. users won’t notice the change, as all transactions except those using rapid transit require the device to be unlocked. However, users in other countries can transact under a given threshold without being unlocked in Google Wallet. For example, Canadians can make payments under CAD$100 without unlocking their device. In the UK, the limit is approximately £45.
However, people in areas where device unlocking isn’t always required are finding that they now need to verify every contactless payment in Google Wallet, regardless of the size of the transaction. The only exception is if the user has recently used a verification method. So if you authenticated to Google Wallet a minute ago and didn’t lock your device, you don’t need to unlock it again.
While this change objectively makes Google Wallet more secure, not everyone is happy about it. Some users on Reddit criticized the switch, while others believed it wasn’t a problem. One thing many people seem to agree on is that Google should give end users the choice of whether to require their device to be unlocked with every transaction.
Google Wallet is verified with every small payment. S23u… via r/GoogleWallet
Google’s choice to require verification of all denominations of Google Wallet payments has sparked an age-old debate in cybersecurity: Do you want convenience or security? Users on social media disagree, but in this case, Google has made the decision for them.