Google is bringing its different payment services under a single umbrella, called Google Pay. The new consolidated platform includes Android Pay and Google Wallet.
“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,” Google said in a blog post.
The move will essentially help users make payments through a single Google solution. First partners for Google Pay are Airbnb, Dice, Fandango, HungryHouse and Instacart.
While Android Pay is not available in India, Google offers a separate payment service called Tez customised for the local market. Google said it will be bringing Google Pay experience to Tez users in India as well.
Launched in September last year, Google Tez already has 140 million transactions and has more than 12 million monthly active users, the company said in a blog post last month.
Back in September, Google’s senior executive Caesar Sengupta had told the media Google had no intentions of launching Google Pay, earlier called Android Pay, in India and that it was focusing on easier solutions such as Tez.
He also pointed out India doesn’t have a wide number of Near Field Connectivity or NFC-enabled smartphones, the base technology behind Android Pay.