Tag Archives: google pay

Introducing the new Google Pay button view on Android

Posted by Jose Ugia – Developer Relations Engineer

The Google Pay button is your customer’s entry point to a swift and familiar checkout with Google Pay. Here are some updates we are bringing to the button to make it easier for you to use it and customize it based on your checkout design, while creating a more consistent and informative experience to help your customers fly through your checkout flows more easily.


A new look and enhanced customization capabilities

Previously, you told us about the importance of a consistent checkout experience for your business. We gave the Google Pay button a fresh new look, applying the latest Material 3 design principles. The new Google Pay button comes in two versions that make it look great on dark and light themed applications. We have also added a subtle stroke that makes the button stand out in low contrast interfaces. In addition, we are introducing new customization capabilities that make it easy to adjust the button shape and corner roundness and help you create more consistent checkout experiences.

image of the updated Pay with Google Pay button annotating the subtle stroke and adjustable rounded corners
Figure 1: The new Google Pay button view for Android can be customized to make it more consistent with your checkout experience.

A new button view for Android

We also improved the Google Pay API for Android, introducing a new button view that simplifies the integration. Now, you can configure the Google Pay button in a more familiar way and add it directly to your XML layout. You can also configure the button programmatically if you prefer. This view lets you configure properties like the button theme and corner radius, and includes graphics and translations so you don't have to download and configure them manually. Simply add the view to your interface, adjust it and that's it.

The new button API is available today in beta. Check out the updated tutorial for Android to start using the new button view.

image of an example implementation showing how you can add and configure the new button view directly to your XML layout on Android
Figure 2: An example implementation of how you can add and configure the new button view directly to your XML layout on Android.

Giving additional context to customers with cards’ last 4 digits

Earlier, we introduced the dynamic Google Pay button for Web, which previewed the card network and last four digits for the customer’s last used form of payment directly on the button. Since then, we have seen great results, with this additional context driving conversion improvements and increases of up to 40% in the number of transactions.

Later this quarter, you’ll be able to configure the new button view for Android to show your users additional information about the last card they used to complete a payment with Google Pay. We are also working to offer the Google Pay button as a UI element in Jetpack Compose, to help you build your UIs more rapidly using intuitive Kotlin APIs.

image showing an example of how the dynamic version of the new Google Pay button view will look on Android.
Figure 3: An example of how the dynamic version of the new Google Pay button view will look on Android.

Next steps

Check out the documentation to start using the new Google Pay button view on Android. Also, check out our own button integration in the sample open source application in GitHub.

Test your payments integrations end-to-end with the new test suite for Google Pay

Posted by Jose Ugia – Developer Relations Engineer

Testing is an integral part of software engineering, especially in the context of payments, where small glitches can have significant implications for your business. 

We previously introduced a set of test cards for you to use with the Google Pay API in TEST mode. These cards allow you to build simple test cases to verify that your Google Pay integration operates as expected. As much as this was a great start, a few predefined cards only let you run a limited number of happy path test scenarios, confined to the domain of your applications.

Improved testing capabilities

Today, we are introducing PSP test cards, an upgrade to Google Pay’s test suite that lets you use test cards from your favorite payment processors to build end-to-end test scenarios, enabling additional testing strategies, both manual and automated.

Image showing test cards in Google Pay TEST mode
Figure 1: Test cards from your payment processor appear in Google Pay’s payment sheet when using TEST mode.

When you select a card, the result is returned back to your application via the API, so you can use it to validate comprehensive payment flows end-to-end, including relaying payment information to your backend to complete the order with your processor. These test cards allow you to verify the behavior of your application against diverse payment outcomes, including successful and failed transactions due to fraud, declines, insufficient funds and more.

Test automation

This upgrade also supports test automation, so you can write end-to-end UI tests using familiar tools like UIAutomator and Espresso on Android, and include them in your CI/CD flows to further strengthen your checkout experiences.

The new generation of Google Pay’s test suite is currently in beta, with web support coming later this year. You’ll be able to use test cards on Android for 5 of the most widely used PSPs – Stripe, Adyen, Braintree, WorldPay and Checkout.com, and we’ll continue to add test cards from your favorite PSPs.

Next steps

Improved testing capabilities have been one of the most frequent requests from the developer community. From Google Pay, we are committed to providing you with the tools you need to harden your payment flows and improve your checkout performance.

Moving image showing automated test being run in the upgraded test suite
Figure 2: With the upgraded test suite you can run end-to-end automated tests for successful and failed payment flows.

Take a look at the documentation to start enhancing your payments tests. Also, check out the sample test suite in the Google Pay demo open source application.

When to step-up your Google Pay transactions as a PSP

Posted by Dominik Mengelt, Developer Relations Engineer, Google Pay and Nick Alteen, Technical Writer, Engineering, Wallet

What is step-up authentication?

When processing payments, step-up authentication (or simply “step-up”) is the practice of requiring additional authentication measures based on user activity and certain risk signals. For example, redirecting the user to 3D Secure to authenticate a transaction. This can help to reduce potential fraud and chargebacks. The following graphic shows the high-level flow of a transaction to determine what's to be done if step-up is needed.

graphic showing the high-level flow of a transaction
Figure 1: Trigger your Risk Engine before sending the transaction to authorization if step-up is needed

It depends! When making a transaction, the Google Pay API response will return one of the following:

  • An authenticated payload that can be processed without any further step-up or challenge. For example, when a user adds a payment card to Google Wallet. In this case, the user has already completed identity verification with their issuing bank.
  • A primary account number (PAN) that requires additional authentication measures, such as 3D Secure. For example, a user making a purchase with a payment card previously stored through Chrome Autofill.

You can use the allowedAuthMethods parameter to indicate which authentication methods you want to support for Google Pay transactions:

"allowedAuthMethods": [
    "CRYPTOGRAM_3DS",
    "PAN_ONLY"
]


In this case, you’re asking Google Pay to display the payment sheet for both types. For example, if the user selects a PAN_ONLY card (a card not tokenized, not enabled for contactless) from the payment sheet during checkout, step-up is needed. Let's have a look at two concrete scenarios:


In the first scenario, the Google Pay sheet shows a card previously added to Google Wallet. The card art and name of the user's issuing bank are displayed. If the user selects this card during the checkout process, no step-up is required because it would fall under the CRYPTOGRAM_3DS authentication method.

On the other hand, the sheet in the second scenario shows a generic card network icon. This indicates a PAN_ONLY authentication method and therefore needs step-up. 

PAN_ONLY vs. CRYPTOGRAM_3DS

Whether or not you decide to accept both forms of payments is your decision. For CRYPTOGRAM_3DS, the Google Pay API additionally returns a cryptogram and, depending on the network, an eciIndicator. Make sure to use those properties when continuing with authorization.

PAN_ONLY

This authentication method is associated with payment cards from a user’s Google Account. Returned payment data includes the PAN with the expiration month and year.

CRYPTOGRAM_3DS

This authentication method is associated with cards stored as Android device tokens provided by the issuers. Returned payment data includes a cryptogram generated on the device.

When should you step-up Google Pay transactions?

When calling the loadPaymentData method, the Google Pay API will return an encrypted payment token (paymentData.paymentMethodData.tokenizationData.token). After decryption, the paymentMethodDetails object contains a property, assuranceDetails, which has the following format:

"assuranceDetails": {
    "cardHolderAuthenticated": true,
    "accountVerified": true
}

Depending on the values of cardHolderAuthenticated and accountVerified, step-up authentication may be required. The following table indicates the possible scenarios and when Google recommends step-up authentication for a transaction:

cardHolderAuthenticated

accountVerified

Step-up needed

true

true

No

false

true

Yes

Step-up can be skipped only when both cardHolderAuthenticated and accountVerified return true.

Next steps

If you are not using assuranceDetails yet, consider doing so now and make sure to step-uptransactions if needed. Also, make sure to check out our guide on Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) if you are processing payments within the European Economic Area (EEA). Follow @GooglePayDevs on Twitter for future updates. If you have questions, mention @GooglePayDevs and include #AskGooglePayDevs in your tweets.

4 ways to use Google Wallet around the world

When we launched Google Wallet earlier this year, we wanted to give as many people as possible access to a secure digital wallet. So today we’re bringing it to 12 more countries, making Wallet available in 57 countries total.

Text reads “Find Google Wallet in your corner of the world” and shows both a map and list of the 57 countries where Google Wallet is available.

We’ve already seen how handy it’s been in all the usual places you'd use a digital wallet — plus some others, like attending concerts with friends. Let’s look at four different ways you can use Google Wallet around the world.

  1. Make quick, secure payments from your watch: Last month we added Wallet to the Google Pixel Watch so you can easily make contactless payments. And starting today, anyone with a Fitbit Sense 2 or Versa 4 can pay with just a tap of their wrist.
  2. Tap and pay on public transit: If you’re one of the millions of people who commute by public transportation, you can use Wallet to tap and pay in hundreds of cities around the world. In Japan, we recently added support for PASMO on mobile devices and launched Suica on the Google Pixel Watch.
  3. Save mobile tickets for events and shows: We’re partnering with many companies — including Ticketmaster, Thaiticketmajor in Thailand, Cinemaxx in Germany and Ticketek, Humanitix and Oztix in Australia — so Android users can add mobile event tickets to their Wallet. My daughters are big Taylor Swift fans, so I’ll be trying out this feature for her tour next year.
  4. Access boarding passes: There’s so much to keep track of before a flight. So we partner with airlines like AirAsia, Air France, China Air, Ryanair and United Airlines to help travelers easily save and access their mobile boarding passes in Wallet. You can even save multiple boarding passes if you’re traveling with family or friends. Pro tip: To quickly add your boarding pass, just take a screenshot of it on your Pixel phone and tap “Add to Google Wallet.”

These are just some ways you can use Google Wallet throughout your day. As Wallet expands to more places around the world, look out for even more features to easily access what you need.

Manage your passes from Google Pay and Wallet Console

Posted by Ryan Novas, Product Manager, Google Pay’s Business Console and Jose Ugia, Developer Relations Engineer, Google Pay

Author Picture

Today, we are introducing the Google Pay & Wallet Console, a platform that helps developers discover, integrate with, and manage Google Pay and Google Wallet features for their businesses. Integrating Google Pay and Google Wallet products has become easier and faster, with features like a common business profile and a unified dashboard. Check out the new Google Wallet section in the console’s left-hand navigation bar, where you can manage all your tickets, loyalty programs, offers and other passes resources from one place. Google Pay & Wallet Console features a more familiar and intuitive user interface that helps you reuse common bits of information, like your business information, and lets you easily browse and discover products, such as the Online API.

The new Google Wallet section in Google Pay & Wallet Console lets you request access to the API and manage your passes alongside other Google Pay and Google Wallet resources.


You can also manage authentication keys for your Smart Tap integration directly from the console, and let customers use eligible passes saved to Google Pay by simply holding their phones to NFC point-of-sale terminals.

Visit Google Pay & Wallet Console today, and start managing your existing products, or discover and integrate with new ones.

Here is what early users are saying about managing passes in the console:

“The cleaner and consistent look of Google Pay & Wallet Console helps us manage our Google Pay and Google Wallet resources more intuitively." Or Maoz, Senior Director of R&D at EngagedMedia said.

The user management additions also helped EngagedMedia better represent their team in the console:

“The new user roles and controls on Google Pay & Wallet Console help us handle permissions more intuitively and accurately, and allow us to assign roles that better reflect our team structure more easily.”

We are committed to continuously evolving Google Pay & Wallet Console to make it your go-to place to discover and manage Google Pay and Google Wallet integrations. We’d love to hear about your experience. You can share feedback with us from the “Feedback” section in the console. We’re looking forward to learning how we can make Google Pay and Google Wallet even more helpful for you in the future.

Learn more

Want to learn more?

Ask a Techspert: How do digital wallets work?

In recent months, you may have gone out to dinner only to realize you left your COVID vaccine card at home. Luckily, the host is OK with the photo of it on your phone. In this case, it’s acceptable to show someone a picture of a card, but for other things it isn’t — an image of your driver’s license or credit card certainly won’t work. So what makes digital versions of these items more legit than a photo? To better understand the digitization of what goes into our wallets and purses, I talked to product manager Dong Min Kim, who works on the brand new Google Wallet. Google Wallet, which will be coming soon in over 40 countries, is the new digital wallet for Android and Wear OS devices…but how does it work?

Let’s start with a basic question: What is a digital wallet?

A digital wallet is simply an application that holds digital versions of the physical items you carry around in your actual wallet or purse. We’ve seen this shift where something you physically carry around becomes part of your smartphone before, right?

Like..?

Look at the camera: You used to carry around a separate item, a camera, to take photos. It was a unique device that did a specific thing. Then, thanks to improvements in computing power, hardware and image processing algorithms, engineers merged the function of the camera — taking photos — into mobile phones. So now, you don’t have to carry around both, if you don’t want to.

Ahhh yes, I am old enough to remember attending college gatherings with my digital camera andmy flip phone.

Ha! So think about what else you carry around: your wallet and your keys.

So the big picture here is that digital wallets help us carry around less stuff?

That’s certainly something we’re thinking about, but it’s more about how we can make these experiences — the ones where you need to use a camera, or in our case, items from your wallet — better. For starters, there’s security: It's really hard for someone to take your phone and use your Google Wallet, or to take your card and add it to their own phone. Your financial institution will verify who you are before you can add a card to your phone, and you can set a screen lock so a stranger can’t access what’s on your device. And should you lose your device, you can remotely locate, lock or even wipe it from “Find My Device.”

What else can Google Wallet do that my physical wallet can’t?

If you saved your boarding pass for a flight to Google Wallet, it will notify you of delays and gate changes. When you head to a concert, you’ll receive a notification on your phone beforehand, reminding you of your saved tickets.

Wallet also works with other Google apps — for instance if you’re taking the bus to see a friend and look up directions in Google Maps, your transit card and balance will show up alongside the route. If you're running low on fare, you can tap and add more. We’ll also give you complete control over how items in your wallet are used to enable these experiences; for example, the personal information on your COVID vaccine pass is kept on your device and never shared without your permission, not even with Google.

Plus, even if you lose your credit or debit card and you’re waiting for the replacement to show up, you can still use that card with Google Wallet because of the virtual number attached to it.

This might be taking a step backwards, but can I pay someone from my Google Wallet? As in can I send money from a debit card, or straight from my bank account?

That’s actually where the Google Pay app — which is available in markets like the U.S., India and Singapore — comes in. We’ll keep growing this app as a companion app where you can do more payments-focused things like send and receive money from friends or businesses, discover offers from your favorite retailers or manage your transactions.

OK, but can I pay with my Google Wallet?

Yes,you can still pay with the cards stored in your Google Wallet in stores where Google Pay is accepted; it’s simple and secure.

Use payment cards in Google Wallet in stores with Google Pay, got it — but how does everything else “get” into Wallet?

We've already partnered with hundreds of transit agencies, retailers, ticket providers, health agencies and airlines so they can create digital versions of their cards or tickets for Google Wallet. You can add a card or ticket directly to Wallet, or within the apps or sites of businesses we partner with, you’ll see an option to add it to Wallet. We’re working on adding more types of content for Wallet, too, like digital IDs, or office and hotel keys.

An image of the Google Wallet app open on a Pixel phone. The app is showing a Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card, a ticket for a flight from SFO to JFK, and a Walgreens cash reward pass. In the bottom right hand corner, there is a “Add to Wallet” button.

Developers can make almost any item into a digital pass.. Developers can use the templates we’ve created, like for boarding passes and event tickets — or they can use a generic template if it’s something more unique and we don’t have a specific solution for it yet. This invitation to developers is part of what I think makes Google Wallet interesting; it’s very open.

What exactly do you mean by “open” exactly?

Well, the Android platform is open — any Android developer can use and develop for Wallet. One thing that’s great about that is all these features and tools can be made available on less expensive phones, too, so it isn’t only people who can afford the most expensive, newest phones out there who can use Google Wallet. Even if a phone can’t use some features of Google Wallet, it’s possible for developers to use QR or barcodes for their content, which more devices can access.

So working with Google Wallet is easier for developers. Any ways you’re making things easier for users?

Plenty of them! In particular, we’re working on ways to make it easy to add objects directly from your phone too. For instance, today if you take a screenshot of your boarding pass or Covid vaccine card from an Android device, we’ll give you the option to add it directly to your Google Wallet!

Living in a multi-device world with Android

Android has grown into the most popular OS in the world, delivering access, connectivity and information to people everywhere on their smartphones. There are over three billion active monthly Android devices around the world, and in the last year alone, more than a billion new Android phones have been activated. While the phone is still the most popular form of computing, people are adding more connected technologies to their lives like TVs, cars, watches and more.

As we build for a multi-device future, we’re introducing new ways to get more done. Whether it's your phone or your other devices, our updates help them all work better together.

Do more with your Android phone

With Android 13, we’re making updates to privacy and security, personalization and large screen devices. You’ve already seen a preview of this in the Developer Previews and first beta. Across the Android ecosystem, we’re also bringing more ways to keep your conversations private and secure, store your digital identity and get you help in the physical world.

We have been working with carriers and phone makers around the world to upgrade SMS text messaging to a new standard called Rich Communication Services (RCS). With RCS, you can share high-quality photos, see type indicators, message over Wi-Fi and get a better group messaging experience.

This is a huge step forward for the mobile ecosystem and we are really excited about the progress! In fact, Google's Messages app already has half a billion monthly active users with RCS and is growing fast. And, Messages already offers end-to-end encryption for your one-to-one conversations. Later this year, we’ll also be bringing encryption to your group conversations to open beta.

Three messages are shown from a group message between friends who are excited for a baking class they will take together.

Your phone can also help provide secure access to your everyday essentials. Recently, we’ve witnessed the rapid digitization of things like car keys and vaccine records. The new Google Wallet on Android will standardize the way you save and access these important items, plus things like payment cards, transit and event tickets, boarding and loyalty passes and student IDs. We’ll be launching Google Wallet on Wear OS, starting with support for payment cards.

Soon, you’ll be able to save and access hotel keys and office badges from your Android phone. And we know you can’t leave home without your ID, so we're collaborating with states across the U.S. and international partners to bring digital driver's licenses and IDs to Google Wallet later this year.

We’re developing smooth integrations with other Google apps and services while providing granular privacy controls. For example, when you add a transit card to Wallet, your card and balance will automatically show up in Google Maps when you search for directions. If your balance is running low, you can quickly tap and add fare before you arrive at the station.

A user looks at their phone for directions from the San Francisco airport on Google Maps. Since they are looking for public transportation routes, they are prompted on their phone to add fare to their Clipper card, a transit card used throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. With a tap, they add their desired amount of money to the card.

Beyond helping keep your communication and digital identities safe, your devices can be even more essential in critical moments like medical emergencies or natural disasters. In these times, chances are you’ll have either your phone or watch on you. We built critical infrastructure into Android like Emergency Location Services (ELS) to help first responders locate you when you call for help. We recently launched ELS in Bulgaria, Paraguay, Spain and Saudi Arabia, and it is now available to more than one billion people worldwide.

Early Earthquake Warnings are already in place in 25 countries, and this year we’ll launch them in many of the remaining high-risk regions around the world. This year, we’ll also start working with partners to bring Emergency SOS to Wear OS, so you can instantly contact a trusted friend or family member or call emergency services from your watch.

A watch screen depicts the Emergency SOS feature. The watch face has an outline of a red circle that counts down the time before an emergency call is made directly from the watch. In this example 911 is called.

Apps and services that extend beyond the phone

Along with your phone, two of the most important and personal devices in our lives are watches and tablets.

With the launch of our unified platform with Samsung last year, there are now over three times as many active Wear OS devices as there were last year. Later this year, you’ll start to see more devices powered with Wear OS from Samsung, Fossil Group, Montblanc, Mobvoi and others. And for the first time ever, Google Assistant is coming to Samsung Galaxy watches, starting soon with the Watch4 series. The Google Assistant experience for Wear OS has been improved with faster, more natural voice interactions, so you can access useful features like voice-controlled navigation or setting reminders.

We’re also bringing more of your favorite apps to Wear OS. Check out experiences built for your wrist by Spotify, adidas Running, LINE and KakaoTalk. And you’ll see many more from apps like SoundCloud and Deezer later this year.

Various app logos including Spotify, adidas Running, LINE, and more are spread out in a circle outside of a watch.

We’re investing in tablets in a big way and have made updates to the interface in 12L and Android 13 that optimize information for the larger screen. We’ve also introduced new features that help you multitask — for example, tap the toolbar to view the app tray and drag and drop apps to view them in a side by side view.

To support these system-level updates, we’ve also been working to improve the app experiences on Android tablets. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be updating more than 20 Google apps to take full advantage of the extra space including YouTube Music, Google Maps, Messages and more.

A collage of colorful tablets are shown, each tablet with a different app running on its screen such as Google Translate, Google Maps, Google TV, Google Photos, Gmail, and more. The Android logo is in the center of the image with the text “20+ optimized Google tablet apps” written in large lettering.

We’re working with other apps to revamp their experiences this year as well, including TikTok, Zoom, Facebook and many others. You’ll soon be able to easily search for all tablet-optimized apps thanks to updates to Google Play.

The Google Play app is open on a tablet. Apps like TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Zoom are listed under the “Top Free” section of the app charts, each with an Install button beside it.

Simple ways for your devices to work better together

Getting things done can be much easier if your connected devices all communicate and work together. The openness and flexibility of Android powers phones, watches, tablets, TVs and cars — and it works well with devices like headphones, speakers, laptops and more. Across all these devices, we’re building on our efforts and introducing even more simple and helpful features to move throughout your day.

With Chromecast built-in, you can watch videos, listen to music and more on the device that makes sense depending on where you are and what you’re doing. This means after your daily commute, you can easily play the rest of a movie you were watching on your phone on your TV at home. To help you stay entertained, we’re working to extend casting capabilities to new partners and products, such as Chromebook, or even your car.

An interior of a car with YouTube video being cast from a phone to the in-car display.

Your media should just move with you, so you can automatically switch audio from your headphones while watching a movie on your tablet to your phone when answering an incoming call.

And when you need to get more done across devices, you’ll soon be able to copy a URL or picture from your phone, and paste it on your tablet.

This graphic begins with a user copying an image from the web on their phone. They select the Nearby Share icon and the image from the phone is now in the clipboard of their tablet. The user then clicks paste within a slide in Google Slides on their tablet and the image from the phone appears.

Earlier this year, we previewed multi-device experiences, like expanding Phone Hub on your Chromebook to allow you to access all your phone’s messaging apps. By streaming from your phone to the laptop, you’ll be able to send and reply to messages, view your conversation history and launch your messaging apps from your laptop. We’re also making it easier to set up and pair your devices with the expansion of Fast Pair support to more devices, including built-in support for Matter on Android.

Whether Android brings new possibilities to your phone or the many devices in your life, we’re looking forward to helping you in this multi-device world.