Gmail App on Android Now Allows You to Attach Money to Your Email

Make payments via Gmail app on Android

Imagine a world where you can send money to a friend by attaching it to your email – on your Android app! That’s exactly what Google has just launched. Starting today, Gmail users on Android devices can send money and request money as if it were an email attachment. The feature is already available on the web version of Gmail, and is now open to all Gmail users on Android devices in the United States.

How Does the Android Gmail App Do This?

By piggybacking on the Google Wallet functionality, Gmail users can now send and request money within the United States. Whether it’s splitting a check when you’re out for dinner with friends, or contributing to a group trip, online payments are now as easy as sending an email with an attachment. Here’s a gif image that shows how it works:

Sending Money with Gmail on the Android App

Receiving/Claiming Money on the Android Gmail App

Of course, you’ll have to set up Google Wallet and link it to a card or a bank account for this method of mobile payment to work, but once it’s done you can start sending and receiving cash literally at the tap of the send button.

Why is Google Offering a Payments Feature on Gmail?

Mobile payments are on the rise. In fact, during the holiday season in 2016, about 30% of all online shopping transactions were executed on mobile devices. Today, Apple Pay and PayPal practically dominate the mobile wallet space, and Google clearly wants a share.

Google is likely hoping that its efforts around Android Pay and Google Wallet, which have failed to gain the kind of traction Apple Pay currently has, will get a big boost by leveraging the massive user base that Gmail enjoys. On Android alone, the Gmail app has been downloaded over 1 billion times, and this is the segment being targeted by the new feature for Gmail on Android.



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