Since 2024, Google Wallet has required you to verify your identity after a few minutes of inactivity to authorize payments. But the latest update to the Android app goes further: you now have to authenticate yourself even to view your various cards.
Google locks down its Wallet app a little more
Until now, Google Wallet displayed a message like "For your security, you must confirm your identity before paying" if you attempted a transaction more than three minutes after unlocking your phone. A logical security system: after this time, the application required a verification method (PIN, password, fingerprint, facial recognition, etc.) before allowing a payment.
But with version 25.18, currently rolling out to Pixel and Samsung smartphones, this requirement now applies to the entire app. This means that even opening Wallet becomes impossible without re-authentication if the three-minute time limit has passed. A full verification screen, built into the Android system, is immediately displayed upon opening. Google clarifies:
More security, but less convenience
This change may seem drastic, but ultimately quite logical if we consider the fact that Google Wallet is no longer just a payment method: the application now also stores sensitive information such as passports, digital keys (car, hotel room), plane tickets, and even medical data in certain countries. In this context, Google may believe that restricting access to these elements is as important as securing a payment.
Obviously, this new requirement will probably not be unanimous among the application's users. Some would prefer to continue to quickly consult their loyalty cards or transport tickets without having to go through authentication again. For uses deemed "non-sensitive," this additional protection might seem excessive, but it's the price to pay for a better level of security.
Source: 9to5Google
0 Comments