For many years, Google had been behind the idea of implementing a payment system that would become the favorite of its users, thus trying to unseat all the competition. He had tried several times, but his projects (Google Wallet, Android Pay) inevitably ended in resounding failure. But he finally hit the right button, or so it seems, presenting the payment method to society Google Pay.
The truth is that all this work has not been in vain. Google learned from its mistakes and used these failed experiences to refine an idea that crystallized in 2018 and which is currently one of the most used payment platforms, especially by Android users.
Despite this, there are still many people who have questions and has not dared to try Google Pay. The main obstacle is the lack of information, which usually generates mistrust. So the purpose of this entry is to explain the origin, operation and all the important details of this system, to clear up doubts and, perhaps, encourage readers to give it a try.
What is Google Pay
The short definition of Google Pay is that of a mobile payment service, without more. But the reality is quite different. It is a platform that, in addition to allowing you make payments through our mobile phone, from our smartwatch or from any other Android device, also offers us numerous and varied functions. Some of them really interesting.
Among them, it is worth mentioning some such as the possibility of adding flight boarding passes, sending money to friends and family, purchasing tickets to events, etc.
But, realistically, the main use of Google Pay, the one that has really caught the attention of Android users, is to pay for any business through the mobile phone. That is possible thanks to the contactless technology which works by chip NFC installed on the devices on which it runs.
One of the strengths of Google Pay is that it has become the default payment gateway implemented in other company services. For example, it is used to make payments and purchases on Google Play, but also in various applications and online stores outside of Google.
The other big point in favor is the to maximise security and your enjoyment.: our bank details are totally safe during the entire transaction process. To do this, Google Pay uses a system of virtual account numbers. This "trick" consists of the creation of temporary bank accounts that Google uses to keep the privacy and sensitive information of the payer safe when executing payment operations.
How to set up Google Pay
The Google Pay configuration process on our mobile phone is very quick and easy. There are different ways to do it, depending on how we are going to use the platform. Let's see the two basic configuration modes:
On mobile or tablet
If we have an Android tablet or mobile phone with NFC, we can use Google Pay for our payments in physical stores. Of course, before it will be necessary to store the information of our loyalty cards and documentation compatible with the application on the device. The steps to run the setup are as follows:
- First you have to download the free google pay app from the Google Play Store.
- When opening the app, on the main page we go to the tab "Payment", which is on the toolbar.
- Next, click on the blue button "Payment method".
- Finally, we point the mobile camera at the credit or debit card to enter the data. It can also be added manually.
In the computer
In the event that our mobile does not have NFC, or we are not sure that we are going to use the app on it, there is the option of configuring Google Pay from the browser on a computer. This can be very practical when making purchases on websites that accept the Google platform as a payment method. The steps to achieve this are very similar to those explained in the previous section:
- To begin with, We open the Google Pay web page and logged in with our Google account.
- Then we go to the side toolbar and select "Payment methods".
- To finish, click on «Add payment method», where we enter the information of the credit or debit card, whichever corresponds.
In both cases, Google Pay will have to verify the credit card. The system most used by almost all banking entities consists of sending a text message to the telephone number associated with the bank account (or an email in the case of using the computer), with a confirmation code to enter in the app from Google Pay.
How to use Google Pay
Once the configuration has been completed correctly, we can use Google Pay to make our purchases in all stores that accept contactless payments (NFC). And also in online stores.
The procedure is incredibly quick and easy: all you have to do is keep the phone near the payment terminal so that the payment is made instantly. Sometimes, the payment terminal asks us to swipe the phone a second time because the screen could not be read correctly the first time, either because we have moved it away too soon or because we have not brought it close enough. It is also important to know that, in case of protecting our mobile phone with a cover or casing, we will probably have to remove it at the time of paying.
The list of physical stores that accept payments through this method is very long. Among the most popular we can highlight El Corte Inglés, Fnac, Hipercor, H&M, Lidl, MediaMarkt, Repsol, Starbucks or Zara, For example. And if we talk about online shops, we can cite companies such as AirBNB, Deliveroo, Ticketmaster, Uber or Vueling, Entre otras muchas.