With the release of the latest beta version of the Google App, it appears the search giant may be preparing to update Google Assistant with support for mobile payments. It’s no secret that Google hopes to make the virtual assistant a core part of users lives, especially those who use Android devices. This was evident with how deeply integrated Google Assistant was with the release of Google’s Pixel lineup, but with the competition constantly increasing its no surprise Google is working hard at updating the virtual assistant. When Google first announced Google Assistant, the company showed off many features that are yet to be released, one of them being mobile payment support, though it appears the company is finally taking the first steps towards introducing this feature.
The latest version of the Google app, version 6.11.13 beta, includes a number of strings of code which hint quite heavily at incoming support for mobile payments. Specifically, in the form of handling credit cards, as well offering links to Google support if any help is needed. This is not the only news, though, with the code also revealing that Google plans on offering payment support through Google Assistant on Google Home speakers. Now, currently Google Assistant does support payments through service apps, so this update is expected to bring support for online shopping payments, with the only requirement being a delivery address and billing details. Another feature that is included in the code is called “shared devices,” something that is expected to allow users to choose which devices are allowed to make online payments and which aren’t, therefore avoiding any accidental purchases.
As this is only a string of code, there is always the possibility that Google could push back the feature’s release for the time being, be it because of bugs or simply due to their desire to improve the function before the final version is released to the public. Anyhow, with the payments function being a highly-requested feature, it wouldn’t be a surprising to see a release in the near future. With Google’s constant efforts to compete against the likes of Siri, Cortana, and Amazon’s Alexa, the company is sure to be working at its best in order to make sure the feature is fully compatible, not to mention making sure it can compete on the same level as its rival virtual assistants.