Aiming to further increase focus on India, Google will soon unveil a new payment service which is localized for the country.
According to media reports, the app will be called ‘Tez’ and will offer a comprehensive set of payment options beyond currently running services like Google Wallet or Android Pay. It is also expected that Tez will support Unified Payments Interface (UPI) — an Indian government’s payment system.
The search giant has a very strong presence in India and a localized app will be big deal as Google has not launched or created a dedicated payment service outside of the US market.
India is world’s second largest smartphone market and by 2020, the digital payments services are expected to become a $500 billion per year. That huge amount of potential has already attracted Flipkart, WhatsApp and Truecaller which have entered the space, but a more comprehensive product integrated with Android — country’s dominant operating system for smartphones — could give Google an upper hand.
Over the previous years, Google has invested large amount of resources and has consistently updated its products and services in India to give consumers a seamless experience.
In August, Google updated its Search, making it easier than ever for users to stay in the know and get relevant information quickly and easily.
Immediately beneath the search bar, users can now find tappable shortcuts enabling quick access to key information like cricket scores, weather, nearby restaurants and more.
The tappable shortcuts are located right on the home screen of the Google App, and from planning your next trip to locating the newest restaurants, locating the nearest ATM or finding out where the latest movies are playing or even planning to pick up groceries from the kirana store on your way home, Google will now help find what you need quicker.