To say that the rebranding and redesign of Google Pay has been pretty underwhelming may be an understatement. While Google thought they were making it easier and more useful for users, it actually became more convoluted and honestly, a bit of a mess. Users were also not that pleased with the new app. Now they’re trying to make some of the features easier to understand and more accessible. The latest update features four shortcuts to some of the most important things you can do on the app.
The four shortcuts that are front and center in the updated app are not new features. In fact they’re redundant since you can find them in the various menus but at least now you don’t have to remember where to actually find them if you need to use them. The first shortcut will open your contactless payment settings so it should be easier to switch cards if you have multiple accounts linked to Google Pay. You can find this feature also at the top of the UI.
The second shortcut is for the send/request money page, which is probably one of the features that you use the most. It’s actually also available on the lower part of the screen but in case you need it up front and center, it’s now there. View offers is the third shortcut button you’ll see as it’s normally found on the left-hand tab. Tapping it will bring you to the available sales and promos that you can use with your app in case you’re looking for special offers.
Lastly, “Track spending” is there as the fourth shortcut, in case you didn’t see it in the right tab. It’s what Google believes will make the Pay app more personal and useful for those who want to keep a close eye on how they spend the money they have placed on the mobile platform. Having these four shortcuts front and center when you open the app should make it easier for those confused as to where these features went to when the new Google Pay UI was unveiled.
The update seems to be rolling out depending on your account, as per 9 to 5 Google. Some are seeing it but others are still stuck with the old/current UI so you’ll have to wait for Google to finish its roll out and make Google Pay great, or at least easier to use, again.
