You can now use Google Assistant to pay rent

Google Assistant users would ask the digital aide to unlock and open apps on a Pixel phone, control smart home devices, play their favorite songs, or cast Netflix movies to the TV, among other tasks.

The virtual assistant now has a new feature. You can use it to send and receive money.

Google announced the peer-to-peer payment scheme on Thursday, but 9to5google.com recalled that the feature was mentioned during the I/O developer conference last year.

The service lets iOS and Android phone users tap Google Assistant to send and receive money to each other via Google Pay.

In case you don’t know yet, Google Pay is the new name of Android Wallet and Google Wallet.

Google Pay account needed

Product Manager Sam Kansara said those who have not signed up for Google Pay would be instructed to set up an account.

“No worries if you haven’t already signed up for Google Pay—you’ll be prompted to set up your account as soon as you ask the Assistant to send money to your contacts,” Kansara said.

“Funds are transferred almost instantaneously, even if the recipient doesn’t have a Google Pay account. Your friends and family will receive an email, text message, or notification if they already have the Google Pay app installed, so they can cash out. “

Google Pay allows you to send and receive money through voice commands. (Source)

Simple voice commands

To send money to a family member or friend, just say “Hey Google, send (amount) to Jane for lunch today,” Kansara said.

To receive money, Kansara said a user could say “request (amount) from Sam for the show tonight.”

According to 9to5google.com, the latter half of the command is where a user has to fill out the “Note” section of a transaction and that Google will ask followup questions like if the user has several contacts that share the same name.

A user will be able to either respond verbally or tap the “Which one?” card.

The site also said there are suggestion chips at the bottom that let users add a note after the fact, cancel, and change payment methods.

“Assistant will automatically use credit cards added to Google Pay, with users able to switch if they have many cards stored. Transactions conveniently show up in your Google Pay Send history as part of the integration.”

All transactions require authentication with a fingerprint or passcode.

Meanwhile, Kansara said support for “voice-activated speakers like Google Home” would come in the next few months.

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DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation in writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.