Starting from this week, with just a tap, users of Gmail app on Android enabled devices can send or request from anyone including people who do not have a Gmail address.
The Google Wallet feature has been integrated into Gmail on the web since 2013. But the new integration on Android means users can now request and accept money in a few steps from their Gmail for Android.
“Whether you are splitting a dinner bill or planning a group trip, you now have a fee-free way to work out the details and settle up without ever leaving the Gmail app on Android,” said Sam Kansara, Google Product Manager in a blog post.
At the moment only users in the US can enjoy the benefits of the feature including if friends, roommates or co-workers do not use Gmail.
Users can receive money right from the email itself. Without having to install another payment app. Recipients can also arrange for any money they receive to go right into their bank account. Most of all, the service comes without charge for both sender and the recipient.
TechCrunch notes that Google is hardly alone in the attempts to expand the functionality if a communications app to include money exchanges. Snapchat offers the ability for friends to pay others via Snapcash, Facebook has a similar feature through Messenger, and outside the US, messaging app WeChat is becoming a mobile payment giant, to name a few examples. Messaging platforms, in some cases, also support third-party payment bots, like Messenger’s support for PayPal, Stripe, TransferWise and others.
There was no word from Google on when the feature will be expanded to users outside the US.
