Google's digital wallet service, Google Wallet, may have a design similar to Apple's iPhone in the near future.
Google Wallet, the digital payment service by Google, has introduced a new feature on Pixel devices running Android 16. This latest update allows users to launch Google Wallet or choose cards for NFC payments by double-tapping the power button, replacing the previous camera shortcut [1][3][4][5].
The double-press power button feature, currently exclusive to Pixel devices, opens an overlay UI that presents payment cards for selection, enabling a tap-and-go payment method [3][4][5]. This new feature aims to make actions in Google Wallet clearer and reduce clutter, aligning with Google's aims for Material 3 Expressive [6].
However, there is no confirmed information that Google is extending this double-press shortcut to non-Pixel Android phones yet [1][4]. While Android 16 supports customizable double-press gestures, the Google Wallet overlay feature remains exclusive to Pixel devices, with Samsung or other vendors having their own Wallet access methods [1][4].
The update takes advantage of a change in Android 16, which allows for the default camera launch option to be replaced with Google Wallet [8]. Upon launching, the overlay blurs out the background behind it, allowing for easy card swiping [7].
This new feature is part of Google's efforts to resemble the iPhone's design in Google Wallet [9]. It also aims to make using Google Pay feel less inferior to Apple Pay on the iPhone [10]. However, Apple Pay currently offers a more streamlined user interface for making payments compared to Google Pay [11].
The increase in smartphone payments has led to a decrease in the use of cash and physical cards [12]. This new feature in Google Wallet is a step towards making payments as seamless as Apple Pay, as Google continues to prepare a feature for Google Wallet that aims to make payments as effortless as possible [13].
In summary, the double-press power button for Google Wallet is currently available only on Pixel devices with Android 16. Google has not announced plans to extend this feature to other Android devices, though the customizable double-press gesture capability exists on other manufacturers' phones. The feature is aimed at Pixel phones and it's unclear if it will be enabled on other Android devices.
[1] Google's Double-Press Power Button Feature for Google Wallet is Exclusive to Pixel Devices
[2] Google Wallet's Double-Press Power Button Feature: What You Need to Know
[3] Google Wallet's New Feature: Double-Press Power Button for Quick Payments
[4] Google Wallet Update Brings Double-Press Power Button Feature to Pixel Phones
[5] Google Wallet's Double-Press Power Button Feature: A Game Changer for Android Users?
[6] Google's Material 3 Expressive: Simplifying User Interfaces
[7] Google Wallet's Double-Press Power Button Feature: How It Works
[8] Android 16: What's New and How It Affects Google Wallet
[9] Google Wallet's Design Update: Imitating the iPhone's Interface
[10] Google Pay vs Apple Pay: A Comparative Analysis
[11] Apple Pay's Streamlined User Interface: A Lead in the Mobile Payment Market
[12] The Rise of Smartphone Payments: Cashless Society on the Horizon
[13] Google's Future Plans for Google Wallet: Making Payments Seamless
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