Do you think contactless payment couldn’t be easier? Think again. Google has just made the use of Google Wallet a bit more restrictive, but also more secure.
Google Wallet users on Android will have to adapt to the change in the way they make contactless payments.
Henceforth, every transaction, irrespective of its value, will require the smartphone to be unlocked in advance. A measure which, while it strengthens security, risks disturbing habits.
Behavior modification for greater security
Until now, in many countries, Google Wallet users could make contactless payments without unlocking their smartphones, as long as the transaction amount did not exceed a certain threshold. In France, for example, this threshold was set at 30 euros. But from February 2024, this functionality has disappeared, as reported by the media 9to5Google.
Google, in fact, has added a note to its help page for setting up mobile payments with Google Wallet, which clarifies that “ Soon your credit and debit cards will no longer be charged (…) unless you have recently used a verification method, such as your fingerprint or PIN. “
The purpose of this change is to strengthen the security of transactions. Indeed, by requiring the systematic unlocking of smartphones before each payment, Google ensures that it is the owner of the phone who is making the transaction. A precautionary step that may seem restrictive, but which helps prevent potential fraud.
