Summary
- Google Wallet will require at least Android 9 or higher on phones and Wear OS 2.x or higher on smartwatches starting June 10.
- The update is driven by security concerns, as Android versions older than 9 no longer receive security updates.
- Users with devices running Android Nougat (7.0) and earlier versions will be affected, as these will no longer support Google Wallet.
Using Google Wallet or another digital wallet is often safer than swiping your card at a store or entering your card details online. That’s because these wallets don’t keep or send your real credit card numbers, and they use NFC (near-field communication) instead of Wi-Fi to transmit payment details. To maintain this security, the app will stop supporting ancient phones and watches starting next month.
In a new support document, Google has announced that starting June 10, Google Wallet will only work on phones with Android 9 or higher and smartwatches with Wear OS 2.x or higher (via 9to5Google). The company pointed out that Android versions older than 9 don’t receive security updates, making older devices potentially more vulnerable to hacking.
The goal is to keep your transactions safe. Without those security updates, older phones are susceptible to major security risks. By requiring a newer Android version, Google can ensure a more secure environment for Wallet transactions. So, while it might be a bit of a bummer for people with older devices, it’s ultimately a good thing for everyone involved.
Google used to require Android 7.0 Nougat, from 2016, as the minimum for Wallet. The update will affect those still on Android Nougat and earlier versions. The tech giant often updates devices and apps with new features, which typically means older devices will be left out in the cold.
Google Wallet will still work on a wide variety of devices
Android 8 stopped getting security updates in 2021, so if you’re rocking an older device, it’s definitely time to upgrade for better security anyway. The good news is that the new requirement for Android 9 Pie, released in 2018, isn’t too demanding. This means you can keep using any of your favorite Android phones, such as the first-generation Pixel phone or another model from 2018, if you don’t want to upgrade just yet.
These are the major retailers in the US that accept Google Wallet
We compiled a list of the major US retailers who accept Google Wallet to take the guesswork out of it for you
