Google may be reducing the convenience of contactless payments (NFC) made via WearOS devices, like the Pixel Watch or Galaxy Watch. According to reports from users on Reddit, the Google Wallet app is requiring a password for purchases made by bringing the device closer to the reading machines (called “tap and pay”).
The information has not yet been confirmed by Google, but the post dedicated to the subject in the online forum already has dozens of operations stating cases with different devices, implying that this is not a hardware issue, but rather the software app itself. payments.
The Google Wallet app already makes you create a password – or PIN – when you register a payment method with it. However, the idea of the app is precisely to offer the convenience of paying using the NFC technology of some smartphones, without having to open your wallet or approach/insert the card. With the advent of smartwatches with technology support, this benefit expanded to payments made with the wrist, even leaving the cell phone in your pocket.
Complainants on Reddit, however, claim that a recent security update is forcing them to enter a new password – different from the one assigned to the app’s configuration – the moment you bring the watch closer to the reading machine. There are no reports that the same is happening with smartphone payments, so the problem seems to be more targeted at smart watches equipped with the WearOS operating system.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the version of the app for smartphones makes you re-confirm your identity after a few moments of use – and the most recent version has authentication for public transport payments. In addition to this, the relatively low volume of complaints could be an indication that either Google is testing a change on some specific watches, or the app itself presented a problem in the recent update, such as a bug.
In any case, Google has not yet commented on the situation, so it is not known which of the options corresponds to reality. Even less if and when it will have any resolution.
