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A Complete Google Pay Case Study-2023

With mobile payment options expected to reach 4.8 billion by 2025, it is a remarkable revenue growth channel, mainly because these apps are integrated into other financial services.

Do you know a single platform for handling UPI money transfers, QR code payments, phone recharge, cashless transactions, and bill payments?

Many of you must have said yes, and it’s Google Pay. You are right!

Let us know more about this online payment app in this Google Pay Case study, including when it started, who the founders are, etc.

Formerly known as Tez, Google Pay helps you to go cashless. This online money transaction app has become one of the famous names in the online payment world.

Sending and receiving money, bank transfers, online shopping, and various other services can now be done within a fraction of a second with Google Pay.

As it is a division of the Google ecosystem, they have topped up its user base quickly, even though they were a late entrant in online payment apps. It is the No.1 digital wallet and one of the best online payment apps.

Case Study on Google Pay – About Google Pay

Google Pay, or GPay, was founded on May 26, 2011.

Initially started as Google Wallet, this online payment platform changed its name to Android Pay on September 11, 2015. Then the app was launched as Tez before finalizing Google Pay’s name on August 28, 2018.

Google Pay is an online wallet-cum digital payment app developed by Google.

The Google-powered online payment platform helps users to make contactless payments and purchases online through android phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

Case Study on Google Pay App- Google Pay Usage Statistics

In 2021, the app was common among users in nearly 42 countries. Google Pay is second in the UPI market. This online payment app led to over 37.5% of the total share in 2021, with a complete transaction worth INR 2.74 Lakh Cr.

Google Pay has more than 10 Mn merchants across 19,000 pin codes, facilitating 15 Bn transactions annually, spanning over 220 million users.

Google Pay is the leading mobile payment app in 2023. Also, nearly 800,000 websites use Google Pay, with almost 20% of all mobile transactions using the online payment method.

Out of all the countries, Google Pay is most prevalent in Russia and India.

In America, over 7,90,000 websites accept Google Pay. The number is expected to rise as more people shift to digital wallets.

We expect that by 2025, Google Pay will gain nearly 10.5 million users , nowhere near the number of ApplePay users. GPay is slowly trending upwards within the coming years.

Google Pay Case Study- How It Started

Google Pay was established as Android Pay and was released at Google I/O in 2015. The technology of Softcard influenced the modern technology of Android Pay.

Then, on September 18, 2017, Google launched Tez’s payment app, changing the UPI system. Later Tez was rebranded with a new name, Google Pay, on August 28, 2018.

As per Sujith Narayanan, the Co-founder of Google Pay, it was during that time when he was working on Google Tez that he and his teammates realized that a customer’s financial journey expands beyond online payments.

In addition, there was a requirement to focus on the millennials in India and provide them with a fast and efficient way to handle their finances.

The duo finally decided on a product called Google Pay, which would redefine financial services for the millennials.

Google Tez, a popular mobile payment service discovered by Google that targeted Indian users, formed the base for Google Pay.

Therefore, you can consider Google Pay a superior version of Google Tez with plenty of offerings.

Founders of Google Pay

Sujith Narayanan is the co-creator of Google Tez, along with Sumit. He is a veteran payment executive with several years of financial service experience.

Also, he is the co-founder of the neo-banking startup, EpiFi.

He graduated from the University of Calicut and Mahatma Gandhi University. Initially, he started working with Standard Chartered Bank.

Eventually, Sujith resigned after seven years as a National Sales Manager at the Standard Chartered Bank.

Then, he joined Religare Macquarie Private Health and served the organization as Vice President-Marketing and Channel Development before joining Google.

Sumit Gwalani- Along with co-founding GPay, Sumit Gwalani played an essential role with Sujith in starting EpiFi. He handled the operations of Google Tez in India.

Sumit spent over 12 years at Google, where he played different roles. Sumit worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Columbia, Santa Barbara, before joining Trlokom as Software Architect and ultimately joining Google.

Gwalani pursued Computer Engineering at the University of Mumbai, where he initially did his BTech and then Master in Computer Science from the University of Santa Barbara.

Business and Revenue Model of Google Pay

Google Pay does not take any charge from the users using Google Wallet. Instead, GPay helps its users send money to banks for free and directly.

Earlier, the company planned to add around 2.9% charges upon topping up the wallets through debit cards, which has been eliminated.

As an online payment platform, Google Pay collects its income through transaction-based charges containing online and in-app payments from merchants and banks.

Advertisements and product offers within this app are some other revenue sources. It also earns through its collected user data.

In 2017, Google Pay saw a rise in monthly active users, recorded at 67 million. In 2021, the same was estimated at 150 million.

This online money transaction app has helped over 2.5 billion transactions and has a running rate of over US $110 billion.

Furthermore, it is also significant to note that now Google Pay also provides users the pleasure of paying for more than 200,000 stores in over 3500 towns and cities and over 2700 online merchants.

Challenges Faced by Google Pay

With the support from Google, one of the largest companies in the world, Google Pay was not subjected to the issues of startups and small-scale businesses while starting.

Although not a big problem, a technical glitch on the app in 2009 had become a trending topic for some time.

Neither was there any shortage of resources. Though not exactly a challenge, a technical glitch on Google Pay’s app in 2020 did become a trending topic for some time.

Several users reported about the app, saying that Google Pay removed their bank accounts from Google Pay without prior notice.

As a result, social media platforms were full of complaints regarding Google Pay. However, the issue did not cause any severe problems.

Team Google Pay suggested that it might have been an accidental action that delinked the bank accounts and app on the user’s part. The team discovered a solution, and the situation soon returned to normal.

Growth of Google Pay

In 2018-19, there were a lot of changes with payment products. However, the Google Pay team successfully launched a few new features and revamped payment products worldwide, including Google Pay refer and earn.

Google Pay mainly focused on the ecosystem; partnerships approach as it built deep relationships with the government and central bank to build new products collectively.

It made the products work collectively within the ecosystem.

Some growth highlights of Google Pay are as follows:

Google Pay is the 2nd most popular UPI platform after PhonePe.
Google’s online payment platform, Google Pay, hit 67 million monthly active users every month in a span of 2 years from the day it debuted in India.
In 2019, Google Pay contributed 59% of online transactions.

Competitors of Google Pay

The top competitors of Google Pay are PhonePe, Paytm, Amazon Pay, and Stripe.

Amazon Pay is a platform for online transactions. It is like Google Pay in terms of features and functionality.

Paytm is an Indian eCommerce payment system. This online transaction app provides various services through its ecosystem; a few are bill payments, e-wallets, phone recharge, and an online shopping store.

PhonePe is one of the leading payment apps in India. It lets people use UPI, BHIM, debit cards, and credit cards to make payments and recharge phones.

Stripe streamlines the procedure of online payments.

Future Plans

Google plans to make Google Pay a multipurpose online wallet by extending the range of passes, cards, and tickets the service supports.

In addition, they are working with cryptocurrency providers to discover digital cards that will help users to store crypto assets but still make payments in standard currencies.

The company also plans to add more payment features to its shopping and search services, like personalized discounts and customer loyalty cards, in the search results directly.

If you also want to build an app like Google Pay and market it to the right audience, you should enroll in the best digital marketing courses in Bangalore . Digital marketing courses teach you the strategies that will help you market your app or product to the right audience at the right time to attain maximum profit.

Streamlyn Academy is a digital marketing institute that delivers Internet Marketing & Programmatic Advertising courses to industry executives, entrepreneurs, and recent graduates.

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Google Pay: an in-depth guide

Accept payments online, in person, and around the world with a payments solution built for any business – from scaling startups to global enterprises.

Introduction

Point-of-sale (POS) systems

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Google Pay is a digital wallet and online payment system powered by near-field communication (NFC) technology. Google launched Google Pay in 2018 after merging Android Pay with Google Wallet. Users can add credit, debit, loyalty or gift cards to their Google Pay account, and then pay with their smartphones, tablets or watches.

Google Pay has the third-highest market share for mobile payment services in the United States. It has an established customer base of approximately 150 million users worldwide and it recorded US$110 billion in transaction value in 2019. Google Pay has adapted to different market needs and has varied availability and features across different regions, dependent on local regulations and partnerships with local financial institutions. Google Pay's security features include tokenisation – which creates a unique encrypted number for each transaction and safeguards card details – and advanced user authentication methods requiring a PIN, pattern, password or biometric verification, such as fingerprint scanning.

This guide will examine Google Pay's features, market presence, implications for businesses in the digital payment domain and what businesses need to know about using Google Pay as a payment method .

What's in this article?

How does Google Pay work?

Where is google pay used, google pay security measures, alternatives to google pay.

Businesses that want to process payments with Google Pay have a range of options to set up the service. They can choose from a variety of supported payment gateways and merchant services providers to find the best fit for their needs. Businesses using Stripe for online payments, for example, can easily add Google Pay as an option without any additional setup or fees. Integrating Google Pay gives businesses access to transaction data that allows them to track stock levels and update product availability automatically. They'll also be able to reward customers for using Google Pay through integration with loyalty programmes that offer points or discounts, encouraging repeat business. Google Pay works for both online and in-store transactions and can be integrated with a range of systems and platforms for protected and convenient payment processing , as outlined below.

Google Pay can be integrated with a variety of POS systems . Businesses with customised POS systems can integrate Google Pay directly using application programming interfaces (APIs) , which allows them to design a customised checkout experience which matches their brand and optimises conversion rates . Businesses seeking an easier, less customised setup process can take advantage of the many other POS systems that come with prebuilt integrations with Google Pay. Google Pay also integrates with mobile POS systems , such as Square and Clover, enabling businesses to accept payments from Google Pay on the go.

Google Pay can be integrated with major e-commerce platforms , such as Shopify and Magento, allowing customers to complete the checkout process quickly and safely. Businesses with subscription services can also integrate Google Pay to facilitate recurring payments and simplify customer billing. Developers can use the Google Pay API to integrate Google Pay directly into their own apps, as well for an easy in-app payment experience. Google Pay is commonly integrated into online ordering platforms and delivery services for a smooth customer experience.

Businesses that want to use Google Pay to process in-person, offline transactions have the following options:

Tez mode: Tez mode allows businesses to accept payments even without an internet connection, which is ideal for markets with limited connectivity or for on-the-go transactions.

QR code payments: Businesses can generate and display QR codes at checkout for Google Pay transactions, allowing customers to pay quickly by scanning with their phones.

NFC payments: Businesses can use NFC-enabled devices to accept contactless payments from customers' phones.

Businesses using the Google Pay for Business app can take advantage of additional features. The service's extensive data on customer behaviour and spending patterns can help inform business decisions, while its access to real-time sales data and key performance indicators allows for a comprehensive overview of business performance. Businesses can also track sales, analyse trends, issue refunds and manage disputes directly within the app.

Google Pay has expanded its operations to over 60 countries and territories. Its market penetration in each of these regions varies, influenced by customer behaviours, business conditions and regulatory environments. Google Pay's usage and key influences in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, North America, Latin America and Africa are outlined below.

India: Google Pay has 67 million users in India, making India its largest single market . Its lead in this market has been helped by India's preference for mobile transactions and Google Pay's integration with the UPI system, as well as collaborations with major local banks and retailers.

China: The Chinese market is dominated by local services such as WeChat Pay .However, Google Pay has found a foothold here by integrating with these platforms and tapping into their existing user bases. Google Pay has focused on growing its popularity here in specific areas, such as transport and bill payments.

Southeast Asia: Google Pay's usage is growing quickly in Southeast Asia due to the region's increasing adoption of mobile technology, a rise in demand for contactless payment methods and Google Pay's partnerships with leading local retailers and e-commerce platforms .

European Union: Google Pay is popular across Europe, despite competing with other services, such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. It differentiates itself with features including peer-to-peer payments and loyalty programmes, and by forming partnerships with local banks and mobile operators. It also complies with the EU's revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) , which requires strong customer authentication for online payments using biometrics and other verification methods. Google Pay works alongside European regulators and financial institutions to ensure continued compliance and uninterrupted operations.

United Kingdom: The UK's high rate of smartphone usage – and a preference for contactless payments – make it a suitable market for Google Pay, which is well-integrated in physical shops, retail chains and transportation networks across the country. Statista found that about 40% of people in the UK have used Google Pay either online or in a shop in recent years.

United States: Google Pay's US user base of 25 million people continues to grow steadily, supported by its compatibility with Android devices and alliances with major banks. It's also expanding into new areas, such as transport and health care, and it has introduced new features including peer-to-peer transaction capability.

Canada: Google Pay ranks third for mobile payments in Canada, thanks to collaborating closely with Canadian banks and online retailers.

Brazil: Google Pay entered the Brazilian market by working with local banks and supporting Boleto Bancário, a widely used local payment method . This strategy targeted the underbanked population successfully and indicates potential for further growth in countries with similar demographics.

Mexico: In Mexico, Google Pay has tapped into the population's growing preference for contactless payments. It has also partnered with major banks and mobile operators.

Kenya: In Kenya, Google Pay has focused on reaching the unbanked population by collaborating with mobile network operators to provide mobile money services, promoting financial inclusion and carving out a local user base.

South Africa: In South Africa, Google Pay is gaining popularity in the e-commerce sector and among the younger generation. This growing usage suggests further opportunities for Google Pay's expansion into other African countries with similar demographics and levels of mobile penetration.

Retail shoppers: Google Pay is a popular option among retail shoppers. In 2023, about 35% of people reported using at least one mobile payment app for in-store purchases , with 10% of those customers reporting using Google Pay most often.

E-commerce shoppers: In the online shopping arena, 44% of customers reported using mobile payment apps in 2023, with 9% saying that they prefer Google Pay.

Food service businesses: The restaurant industry is quickly adopting contactless payments, with quick-service restaurants in particular frequently accepting options such as Google Pay. This trend aligns with the growing number of customers who opt to pay for food orders via smartphones.

Public transport systems: Public transport systems are increasingly integrating Google Pay as a payment option, with more than 500 cities around the world now supporting it.

Service providers: Freelancers often use digital payment platforms, such as Google Pay, because of the simplicity and security that they offer.

Younger users: A 2020 study in the UK, as an example, shows that Generation Z and millennials are the most likely age groups to use digital wallets across the board. As a result, Google Pay has seen higher adoption rates among younger generations.

Small businesses and startups: Small businesses are increasingly relying on Google Pay as their primary payment processing solution. Small businesses have adopted Google Pay for invoicing and receiving payments, taking advantage of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Startups have also integrated Google Pay into their online transaction processes.

Event organisers: The events industry is also embracing Google Pay, with attendees using it for ticket purchases or on-site transactions.

Subscription-based services: Subscription services are also turning to Google Pay for its secure recurring payment capabilities.

For businesses, accepting Google Pay as a payment method provides potential advantages, from audience growth to better analytics and greater efficiency. These benefits are listed below:

Faster checkout times: A Google report shows that Google Pay can reduce checkout times on websites and apps by 20% when compared with traditional methods.

Simplified transaction management: The Google Pay for Business app streamlines transaction management, saving businesses time on administrative tasks.

Reduced fraud risk: Google Pay's tokenisation technology boasts a success rate of over 90% in preventing fraudulent transactions .

Improved customer satisfaction: Google's data shows that, in one case, 35% of Google Pay users who have used different payment methods previously now prefer Google Pay for repeat purchases. The ability to integrate Google Pay with loyalty programmes can also lead to an increase in repeat customer engagement.

Expansion into new markets: Google Pay operates across more than 60 countries and territories, supporting 150 million users across the globe. This global reach facilitates easy expansion into new markets, with one company in a Google case study showing that 34% of Google Pay purchases came from new customers.

Access to customer data: Customer spending data from Google Pay helps businesses to improve product offerings and craft targeted marketing campaigns that can achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) compared with traditional methods.

Increased sales: One company's results from a Google case study shows that businesses adopting Google Pay as the default payment method for new users may see a 20x increase in conversions , probably due to faster checkout times and improved customer experience.

Lower cash management costs: Studies show that eliminating cash handling saves businesses money by eliminating costs associated with cash counting, transportation and security.

Enhanced brand image: Brands can improve their reputation as innovative and modern businesses by supporting mobile payment options, such as Google Pay.

Future-proofed business model: Integrating with Google Pay positions businesses at the forefront of mobile payment technology, preparing them for future advancements in digital payments .

Google Pay uses multiple layers of tokenisation, implementing both device-specific tokens and server-side tokens for maximum protection across all touchpoints. In addition, unlike some other digital wallets , Google Pay generates a unique single-use token for each transaction that hides your actual card number – even if the transaction data is intercepted.

To access Google Pay or make a payment, users must authenticate their identity. Google Pay supports various two-factor authentication methods including PINs, passwords, patterns, fingerprints and facial recognition – allowing users to choose their preferred level of security. Some Google Pay implementations also use dynamic PINs that change over time, adding an extra layer of protection against brute-force attacks and further ensuring that only the authorised user can make payments or access sensitive information.

For contactless payments, Google Pay uses NFC technology – a secure protocol that only operates within a few centimetres of the payment terminal and prevents remote data access. Data is encrypted during NFC transactions for further confidentiality and integrity.

Many devices supporting Google Pay incorporate a secure element – a tamper-resistant hardware chip which acts as a vault for sensitive payment information and provides an extra layer of protection against physical and digital attacks. The secure element operates independently from the main operating system, creating a dedicated processing environment that further prevents unauthorised access to payment credentials.

Google Pay uses security the features associated with Google accounts, such as two-factor authentication and suspicious activity detection. Google monitors these accounts continuously and informs users of any potential security risks.

Google Pay employs end-to-end encryption for all data transmitted through the platform to protect it against unauthorised access. It also stores user data in secure data centres, which are protected using a variety of measures, including encryption and access controls.

Google Pay gives customers granular access control over the data that they share and how it is used, allowing them to choose to share specific information with businesses or limit data-sharing altogether. Customers can access and download their transaction history at any time and can opt in or out to use this data to personalise their experience within the app. Google does not share customer transaction history with third parties for marketing purposes without explicit consent.

Google Pay adheres to strict industry standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) . This compliance ensures that Google Pay meets the highest security standards for payment processing and data privacy.

Google uses sophisticated machine-learning algorithms to analyse transactions in real time, identifying and flagging suspicious activity, as well as potential phishing and fraud risks , when sending and receiving money. This proactive approach helps to prevent fraudulent transactions before they occur. Users will be alerted of any unusual activity, including if they're making a payment to someone who is not in their contact list, enabling quick action against potential fraud.

Google Pay's dedicated team of security experts monitors the app around the clock, providing constant security support. This team also develops new security features on a regular basis and updates the app routinely to address emerging threats.

Google Pay provides chargeback protection, safeguarding users from financial losses in the event of unauthorised transactions . The policies and procedures for chargebacks may vary depending on the specific card issuer .

Google Pay uses a virtual account number for contactless payments, keeping actual card numbers hidden from businesses during the transaction.

If a user's phone is lost or stolen, users can lock it, log out of their Google Account or erase their data using Google's Find My Device feature – all remotely. This helps to keep payment information secure even in the event of device loss or theft.

Businesses integrating Google Pay as a payment method will need to work with a third-party payment processor, such as Stripe . Each payment processor will have its own steps and requirements for integrating new payment methods. Stripe's setup process and business requirements to set up Google Pay are outlined below as an example of what to expect.

As a basic requirement, businesses must have all the necessary business registrations and licences in their operating region. They must also demonstrate compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including tax regulations , Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, as well as data privacy regulations, such as the GDPR, the CCPA and the PCI DSS. These regulations ensure that businesses are collecting and remitting taxes as required, verifying customer identities and preventing illegal activities appropriately, and exercising the correct security measures when collecting and storing user data and payment card information. Businesses found to be in violation of any of these regulations will not be eligible to work with Stripe.

Technical requirements to set up Google Pay with Stripe include an active internet connection, access to Android and iOS devices that are compatible with Google Pay and have NFC capabilities, and an active Stripe account with the Stripe software development kit (SDK) integrated into the business's app or website in order to facilitate payment processing. For Android-specific installations, businesses need an active Google Play Store presence to enable the Google Pay app to access the business's information.

Before beginning the setup process, businesses will need to review and accept the Stripe and Google Pay merchant agreements, outlining the terms and conditions for using their services. They should also familiarise themselves with the Stripe and Google Pay fees associated with each transaction, make sure that they have access to proper customer support from both Stripe and Google Pay in the event of any technical issues or enquiries, and confirm that their Stripe account supports the currencies that they plan to accept through Google Pay.

Once this due diligence has been completed, businesses can take the following steps to set up Google Pay with Stripe:

Account activation: Sign up for Stripe and activate your account. Confirm that you have the appropriate permissions for accepting Google Pay through Stripe.

Stripe Connect configuration: Configure Stripe Connect to link your Stripe account with your Google Pay merchant account.

Stripe API integration: Integrate the Stripe API into your app or website to send payment requests and receive confirmations.

Test integration: Test your integration thoroughly for smooth functionality.

While Google Pay is a dominant force in the mobile payment environment, several competitors do have similar features and challenge its market share. The most popular alternatives to Google Pay are outlined below.

Mobile payment service Apple Pay integrates with iOS, macOS and watchOS devices, and leverages Apple's well-established ecosystem and user base. Apple Pay dominates the US market and had a digital wallet market share of over 90% in 2020. Furthermore, the established Apple brand name and loyal customer base contribute to its widespread acceptance and usage. Apple Pay uses advanced security measures, such as Touch ID and Face ID, further promoting user trust. However, Apple Pay's weaknesses include a relatively restricted reach compared with Google Pay's broader platform support, given that it's only available on Apple devices. In certain situations, it also may charge higher fees for businesses than Google Pay.

Mobile payment and digital wallet service Samsung Pay is compatible with Android devices and various wearable devices from Samsung and other brands. Samsung Pay is a major player in South Korea and other Asian markets, where it has seen strong levels of adoption. It boasts compatibility with more payment terminals than other digital wallets and it can connect with non-NFC terminals through Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology. Samsung Pay can also be integrated with various loyalty programmes, offering additional benefits to users. Its weaknesses include a more limited reach than Google Pay and Apple Pay, given its smaller global market share and its restriction to Samsung and Android devices.

PayPal is a widely established payment platform that is broadly accepted by online and offline businesses, making it a convenient option for many types of purchases. Web-based and available through a dedicated mobile app, PayPal has broader accessibility compared with purely mobile-centric wallets. It has a user base of more than 400 million people globally, creating a pre-existing network for easy payment transactions. It also offers payment methods including credit cards , debit cards and bank accounts, in addition to its digital wallet functionality. Its weaknesses include potentially higher fees for certain transactions, particularly for international payments . Some customers might also find PayPal's digital wallet interface to be less user-friendly and intuitive compared with other options, such as Google Pay.

Venmo is a mobile app focused on peer-to-peer payments and social features. It supports free-of-charge money transfers between individual users and can be integrated with social media platforms, such as Facebook, making it a popular choice for personal finance management tasks, including sharing expenses or splitting bills with friends and family. Venmo's mobile app is user-friendly and accessible, but its business acceptance remains limited compared with other digital wallets, thus restricting its usage to purchases made in shops. Other weaknesses include greater security concerns compared with other digital payment platforms. Venmo's publicly visible transaction history may also deter some customers from using Venmo for more sensitive transactions.

Cash App is a mobile app that offers free-of-charge money transfers, Bitcoin integration and investment features. Similar to Venmo, Cash App facilitates free-of-charge money transfers between users, making it a popular choice for splitting bills and managing personal finances. For users interested in cryptocurrency and investing, Cash App also provides a convenient and user-friendly platform for buying and selling Bitcoin or investing in stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), attracting users seeking to diversify their financial portfolio. Cash App's user-friendly interface and broad platform compatibility make it accessible to a wide range of customers. However, as with Venmo, it also sees limited business acceptance when compared with its competitors, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay, and it is less usable for purchases made in shops. Weaknesses include concerns about criminal activity on the platform. While Cash App does implement security features, some users have also expressed concerns regarding data privacy and potential security vulnerabilities. Customers have also criticised the customer support experience as being slow and unhelpful.

The content in this article is for general information and education purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Stripe does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, adequacy, or currency of the information in the article. You should seek the advice of a competent lawyer or accountant licensed to practise in your jurisdiction for advice on your particular situation.

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Google Finds It’s Underpaying Many Men as It Addresses Wage Equity

By Daisuke Wakabayashi

March 4, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO — When Google conducted a study recently to determine whether the company was underpaying women and members of minority groups, it found, to the surprise of just about everyone, that men were paid less money than women for doing similar work.

The study, which disproportionately led to pay raises for thousands of men, is done every year, but the latest findings arrived as Google and other companies in Silicon Valley face increasing pressure to deal with gender issues in the workplace, from sexual harassment to wage discrimination.

Gender inequality is a radioactive topic at Google. The Labor Department is investigating whether the company systematically underpays women. It has been sued by former employees who claim they were paid less than men with the same qualifications. And last fall, thousands of Google employees protested the way the company handles sexual harassment claims against top executives.

Critics said the results of the pay study could give a false impression. Company officials acknowledged that it did not address whether women were hired at a lower pay grade than men with similar qualifications.

Google seems to be advancing a “flawed and incomplete sense of equality” by making sure men and women receive similar salaries for similar work, said Joelle Emerson, chief executive of Paradigm, a consulting company that advises companies on strategies for increasing diversity. That is not the same as addressing “equity,” she said, which would involve examining the structural hurdles that women face as engineers.

Google has denied paying women less, and the company agreed that compensation among similar job titles was not by itself a complete measure of equity. A more difficult issue to solve — one that critics say Google often mismanages for women — is a human resources concept called leveling. Are employees assigned to the appropriate pay grade for their qualifications?

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Google Pay Study Finds It Underpaid Men For Some Jobs

Matthew S. Schwartz

Google is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by women who allege systemic underpayment. And the Department of Labor is investigating whether Google pays women less. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption

Google is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by women who allege systemic underpayment. And the Department of Labor is investigating whether Google pays women less.

When Google conducted its annual pay equity analysis for 2018, the tech company found something nobody expected: It was underpaying men for doing similar work as women.

The underpayment — which flips the typical gender pay gap narrative on its head — mostly applied to one group of software engineers. The company emphasized in a blog post that despite this pay discrepancy, deeper structural issues can continue to lead to pay disparities between men and women.

To standardize compensation between genders within the group, Google disbursed almost $10 million to more than 10,000 employees. (Though it did not say how much of the money went to men.)

"Our pay equity analysis ensures that compensation is fair for employees in the same job, at the same level, location and performance. But we know that's only part of the story," wrote Lauren Barbato, Google's lead analyst for pay equity. "Because leveling, performance ratings, and promotion impact pay, this year, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of these processes to make sure the outcomes are fair and equitable for all employees."

"Leveling" refers to the pay grade to which employees are assigned. Google said it planned a "leveling equity analysis" to assess how new employees are leveled and whether the company can improve its practices.

James Finberg, the lawyer who filed the class-action suit, told Wired that Google's report contradicted expert analysis of the company's own payroll data. "It is very disappointing that, instead of addressing the real gender pay inequities adverse to women, Google has decided to increase the compensation of 8,000 male software engineers," Finberg said.

Since 2012, Google has conducted a yearly companywide analysis to ensure pay is "equitable across gender and racial lines," Barbato said. She offered an explanation for the relatively large adjustment compared with the prior year: Female engineers got more discretionary funds than men.

The Washington Post explains that in Google's 2018 study, "Managers had dipped into the discretionary funds more often for women engineers, creating a pay gap for men in the same job category."

Joelle Emerson, chief executive of the consulting company Paradigm, told The New York Times that Google was advancing a "flawed and incomplete sense of equality." Google should instead address "equity," she said, examining structural issues faced by women engineers.

gender pay gap

Google Pay - Money Made Simple

Purbalee Dutta

Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Google Pay.

Do you want a single platform for managing UPI money transfer , phone recharge, QR code payments, bill payments, and other cashless transactions? Your search ends with Google Pay. A robust platform that enables you to go cashless, Google Pay has established itself as one of the top names in the digital payments segment. Bank transfers, sending and receiving money, online shopping, and several other services have become as easy as cracking an egg with Google Pay.

Millions of Indians now rely on this Google offering for all their payment-related needs. And the number continues to increase with each passing day. StartupTalky covers the Google Pay success story in this post. So, dive into it below:

Google Pay - Company Highlights

Startup Name	Google Pay
Headquarters	Google, US
Sector
Founders	Sujith Narayanan and Sumit Gwalani
Founded	September 11, 2015, and then renewed on January 8, 2018
Website	pay.google.com

Google Pay - Latest News

December 21, 2021 - Google Pay and Mastercard ties up to enable the GPay users to transact with their Mastercards via token, without having to use their debit card details.

Google Pay - About Google Pay - Startup Story Google Pay - Founders And Team Google Pay - Name, Tagline And Logo Google Pay - Business and Revenue Model Google Pay - Challenges Faced Google Pay - Growth Google Pay - Partnerships Google Pay - Competitors Google Pay - Future Plans Google Pay - FAQs

Google Pay - About

Google Pay, often referred as G Pay is founded on May 26, 2011. Starting initially as Google Wallet, the digital payments platform has changed its name to Android Pay later on September 11, 2015. The app was then launched as Tez before finally settling on the name Google Pay on August 28, 2018.

Google Pay serves as a digital wallet-cum-online payment system developed by Google. The Google-powered digital payments platform enables the users to make contactless payments and purchases online via android phones, watches and tablets. iOS is another platform that supports G Pay for the users of India and the United States but with some restrictions. Google Pay works with Android Lollipop 5.0 and above.

The second most popular UPI platform in India helps the users to pay other merchants and individual users via the Tez mode, using QR codes, and through phone numbers.

The app is currently available for the users of 42 countries, as of 2021.

Google Pay - Startup Story

Google Pay was originally developed as Android Pay and was first released at Google I/O in 2015. This application was primarily modeled on Google Wallet that was released back in 2011. The technology of Android Pay was influenced by Softcard's technology. Google then launched the payments app, Tez on September 18, 2017, pivoting the UPI system. Tez was later rebranded to Google Pay on August 28, 2018.

According to Sujith Narayanan, the Co-founder of Google Pay, it was while working on Google Tez (another offering by Google), he and his team realized that a consumer's financial journey extends beyond digital payments. Moreover, there was a need to concentrate on the millennials in India and give them a new, fast and efficient way to handle their finances.

The founding duo finally decided on a product called ' Google Pay', which would redefine financial services for the millennials. Google Tez, a mobile payment service by Google that targeted users in India, laid the framework for Google Pay. Think of Google Pay as a superior version of Google Tez coupled with a plethora of offerings.

Google Pay - Founders And Team

Sujith Narayanan and Sumit Gwalani are the brains behind Google Pay.

Sujith Narayanan

Sujith Narayanan is the co-creator of Google Tez along with Sumit. Sujith is a veteran payments executive and has an enviable experience in the domain of financial services. He is also known as the co-founder of the neo-banking startup EpiFi . Sujith is an alumnus of the University of Calibut and Mahatma Gandhi University. Starting his career with Standard Chartered Bank, Sujith eventually resigned after 7 years as a National Sales Manager of the organization. He then joined Religare Macquarie Private Wealth as the Vice-President - Marketing and Channel Development before moving on to join Google.

Sumit Gwalani

Along with co-founding G Pay , Sumit Gwalani played an instrumental role alongside Sujith in starting EpiFi . He handled Google Tez's operations in India. Sumit spent 12+ years at Google where he donned multiple hats. Sumit was a Research Assistant at the University of Columbia, Santa Barbara, before joining Trlokom as a Software Architect and eventually joining Google. Gwalani was a Computer Engineering student at the University of Mumbai from where he completed his Btech degree before pursuing a Masters in Computer Science from the University of Santa Barbara.

Google Pay - Name, Tagline And Logo

Google Pay is styled as G Pay. The logo of G Pay is cleverly crafted with the Google logo on one side and "Pay" on the other.

Google Pay's tagline is " Money made simple" . A meaningful and interesting tagline, isn't it? With Google Pay, handling money has become easier than ever.

Google Pay - Business and Revenue Model

Google Pay does not charge its users for their access to Google Wallet . GPay allows its users to send money to bank accounts directly and for free. Previously, the company had an agenda of adding a 2.9% fee upon topping up wallets via debit card, which has been taken off.

Being a digital payments platform, Google Pay mainly collects its revenues via transaction-based fees that it collects from the online and in-app payments of the banks and merchants. Advertisements and product offers within the Google Pay app are some other revenue streams of the company. It also earns considerably by using the users' data that it collects.

In 2017 Google Pay had earlier witnessed a growth of its monthly active users, which was recorded at 67 million . The same has presently estimated at 150 million, as of 2021.

The app has enabled more than 2.5 billion transactions and currently has got a running rate of US $110+ billion in transaction value. Moreover, it is also important to note that now Google Pay also gives the users the privilege of paying over 200,000 stores that are based in more than 3500 cities and towns, and to 2700+ online merchants.

Google Pay - Challenges Faced

With the backing from Google, one of the largest organizations in the world, Google Pay wasn't subjected to the problems that small-scale businesses and startups face while starting out. Neither was there any dearth of resources. Though not exactly a challenge, a technical glitch on Google Pay's app in 2020 did become a trending topic for some time.

Several users reported the app saying that their bank accounts were removed from Google Pay without any notice. Complaints on the matter were frequently posted on social media platforms. However, the issue did not bring about any serious consequences. The Google Pay team suggested that it might have been an unintentional action on the users' part that delinked the app and bank accounts. A fix was implemented by the team and the situation was restored to normalcy. Google India issued a statement when it was asked by NDTV Gadgets 360 regarding the glitch.

Ambarish Kenghe, the Director of Product Management at Google Pay said, "We are aware that some users faced difficulties with linking their bank accounts on Google Pay today. The issue, impacting a small number of users, was identified earlier today and our teams have worked to resolve it and have implemented a fix within the hour. The issue stands resolved and users will now be able to use the app normally. Users facing any issue should reach out to Google Pay support through our app. We regret the inconvenience caused and are committed to providing our users a seamless payments experience."

Google Pay - Growth

In the year 2018-19, there was a lot of traction with the payment products. The team launched a few new features successfully and also revamped the payment products globally. Google Pay specially focused on partnerships, ecosystem approaches as it forged deep relationships with central bank and government to build innovative products collectively. This made the products work together within the ecosystem.

GooglePay currently retains 35% market share in terms of volume and 38% of the shares in terms of values, as of October 2021. The payments gateway has last recorded 129 crore transactions, which amounted to Rs 2.50 lakh crore. Some growth highlights of Google Pay are as follows:

Google's digital payment platform Google Pay hit 67 million monthly active users in just 2 years since it made its debut in India
Google Pay had contributed 59% in digital transactions in 2019
Google Pay is the second most popular UPI platform after PhonePe

Google Pay - Partnerships

Google Pay has partnered with numerous organizations around the world to date. Here are some of the most prominent partnerships seen by G Pay:

GPay has announced of its collaboration with SBI General Insurance, which would help the GooglePay users to purchase SBI's Genearl Insurance plan directly via the app on October 29, 2021
The digital payments giant has partnered with Visa on September 21, 2020 to help the Visa card users to tap-to-pay, thereby securing all the transactions made via the app
G Pay partnered with 90 banking institutions from 9 nations on September 20, 2021
Google Pay is firmly partnered with India's financial ecosystem, said the internet major on September 3, 2021
G Pay partnered with Leumi, an Israel-based bank to enable the bank's users to use the Google pay digital wallet on September 2, 2021

Google Pay - Competitors

Google Pay's top competitors are Amazon Pay , PhonePe , Paytm , and Stripe .

Amazon Pay is a platform for digital transactions. It is similar to Google Pay in terms of functionality and features
PhonePe is popularly known as India's leading payments app. It allows people to use BHIM, UPI, credit card, and debit cards to recharge phones and make payments
Paytm is an Indian e-commerce payment system. Paytm offers multiple services through its ecosystem; some of them are e-wallets, bill payments, phone recharges, and an online shopping store (in the form of Paytm Mall). It is headquartered in Noida, India.
Stripe simplifies the process of online payments.

Google Pay - Future Plans

Google Pay is always planning something new and unique for its users. The company has announced that it would be transforming its app into a personal finance hub for the users. This would further simplify the payment of funds to friends and family.

Google Pay - FAQs

Is google pay an indian app.

Google Pay is based out of the Google headquarters in California, US. However, the payments app of Google is available for the Indian users and those who resides in Singapore and the US. Google India Digital Services Private Limited, headquartered in New Delhi, makes G Pay accessible for the Indian users.

Who is the owner of Google Pay?

Google Pay is owned by Google Inc.

Can I transfer funds directly to bank accounts via Google Pay?

Yes, Google Pay allows its users to link their bank accounts and transfer funds directly to others' bank accounts.

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Analysis of Competition Commission of India’s Approach towards Antitrust Issues in Unified Payment Transactions (UPI) Sector

It is no secret that digital payments in India have exploded over the last five years as data and smartphone usage has increased. The National Payments Corporation of India’s (hereinafter NPCI) Unified Payment Interface (hereinafter UPI) technology has been the primary driver of this expansion. CAGR of 414 percent was recorded for UPI transactions in FY 2019-20 in India. Immediate Payment Service (hereinafter IMPS) technology is used to conduct UPI transactions between two bank accounts. As India has observed digital payments in abundance, along with such explosion, India has also observed the abuse in the market by the dominant platforms providing such transaction facilities. Such abuse in the market by the dominant platforms providing such transaction facilities is dealt with by section 4 of the Competition Act, 2002. As per this section dominant position means where an enterprise has the power to operate independently in the relevant market or where the operations of competitors are affected by moves of such enterprise. Further, the term is defined under Article 86 of European Treaty as, “a position of economic strength enjoyed by an undertaking which enables it to prevent effective competition being maintained on the relevant market by affording it the power to behave to an appreciable extent independently of its competitors, its customers and ultimately of the consumers”. Being dominant is not a crime but using such dominance to harm healthy competition in the relevant market is crime in the eyes of the Act.

One such situation can be very well understood by analysis of the Competition Commission of India (hereinafter CCI) orders XYZ vs. Alphabet INC. (hereinafter Google Pay Case).

GOOGLE PAY CASE

Relevant Markets & Dominance

Prior to abuse of dominance, one must understand the relevant market where such abuse is noticed, in the present Google pay case, the CCI set forth three relevant markets which are as follows: “market for licensable smart mobile device operating systems in India and the market for app stores for android mobile operating systems”, relying upon the CCI order in case no. 39 of 2018. Further third market “Market for apps facilitating payment through UPI” was delineated considering the immense usage of UPI for the transaction by the Google FY 2017-2020 surpassing other virtual payment options as RBI report.

Further in these former two markets, Google was considered to be enjoying the dominant position reason being, in the first market of India’s mobile operating system (hereinafter OS) android was deemed for 80%, in addition to that in the market of android mobile’s app stores the play store was used for 90% of the app downloads.

Furthermore, the once earlier two essentials are established i.e. relevant market & dominance, there are few instances prescribed by the Act of 2002, any of which if established would amount to an abuse of such dominance by the enterprise in the relevant market. The instances are:

“Imposition of inequitable, biased or unfair constraints
Undertaking practices that restrict or denies access to a competitor in the market
Taking improper advantage of the dominant position of one market to enter another”

Allegations & Approach of CCI

In the present Google pay case, U/s 4 of the Act, in a total of six allegations were raised against Google for abusing its dominant position those are:

“Exclusivity Regarding Mode of Payment for Purchase of Apps and In-App Purchases (hereinafter IAPS)
Pre-installation and prominence of Google Pay on Android Smartphones
Search manipulation and Bias by Google in favour of Google Pay
Prominent placement of Google Pay on the Play Store
Search advertisement manipulation on the Play Store
Exclusivity Requirement Imposed by Google Resulted in Unfair Terms Being Imposed on Users”

The court in the present matter keenly contemplated each of the six allegations and considered only the former two allegations as appropriate and the rest were dismissed on either absence of sufficient substantial evidence or inadequate jurisdiction to hear the contentions.

CCI took into consideration the first allegation that Google has framed anti-competitive policies which runs into two folds, first being it refrains the app developers to use any other mode of payment other than Google’s very own payment system (Google Pay) to carry out transactions related to purchasing of apps and In-App purchases. Imposition of such policies leaves the developers in a “take it or leave it” situation where they have no option to go with. Apart from excepting such discriminatory and biased payment policy of Google or else they have let go the 90% of the targeted Indian android smartphones users which are using the Google Play Store for purchasing of apps. Even on the other hand side, the 90% of the android using Indian population has no other option available at hand other than installation of Google Pay to make successful payments for such apps purchases. Here the policy imposed an irrational and unfair obligation on the users as well as app developer to restrain from considering the other potential options in the market.

The former fold of the policy made it mandate to install the Google pay for payment whereas the second fold imposes an unfair condition on the app developers by the imposition of the unjust rate of commission charges i.e. 30% (15% in certain cases) on every purchase of App through Play Store which is relatively very high compared to what other platforms have to offer. It is already very much established that Google had a firm hold of 90% over the market of android mobile’s app stores i.e. the play store which was used for the (installation of Apps) over the android phones, and as per the first fold the policy makes it crystal clear that only Google Pay must be used to make the payments, Despite having various other alternatives available in the market offering much lesser commission rate for per payment, the hands of the developer are tied due to such unfair and discriminatory policy. As a result of policy, the relevant market observed a blanket restriction/ denial of access to other potential competitors in the relevant market to compete against Google pay. Furthermore, Google made an effort to enter and create dominance in UPI transaction Market by indulging in anti-competitive practices using its dominant position in the app store market.

In the lights of the above-raised allegation, after scrutinizing the facts and shreds of evidence the CCI conclude that imposition of such inequitable, biased or unfair constraints through the policy, restriction/ blanket denial to access the UPI transaction market over other potential competitors and Google’s effort to enter and create dominance in UPI transaction Market by indulging into anti-competitive practices using its dominant position in the app store market such undertaking of the Google had established the essentials of the abusive practices in terms of section 4 of the Act.

Subsequently CCI took account of the second allegation, here CCI took the cognizance of Google incentivizing the original equipment manufacturer (hereinafter OEM) to pre-install certain Google application such as Chrome, drive, etc. portraying them as a default application, via its Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (hereinafter MADA) which is a pre-requisite to secure the Google licenses for Android OS, along with such agreement Google formulated another Revenue Sharing Agreement (hereinafter RSA) with OEMs which guaranteed financial incentives to OEMs for pre-installation of the Google Pay app in there smartphones (such agreement is optional not a mandate), such “must-have” character of the Google’s apps along with another financial incentivizing agreement strategy gave Google Pay app an upper hand in the relevant market of UPI transaction over other potential virtual payment apps considering the dominant position of the Google over relevant markets of “market for licensable smart mobile device operating systems in India and the market for app stores for android mobile operating systems”.

Thus, in light of the above-raised allegation, after scrutinizing the facts and shreds of evidence the CCI conclude that formulation and implementation of such agreements by Google with the OEMs has the aptitude to adversely affect the competition in the relevant market of UPI transaction.

Concept of ‘status-quo bias’ & Critics

In the present case, CCI referred to the principle of “status-quo bias/ power of default” which was observed in the (Google Android) by the European Commission. As per this principle, the consumer tends to keep the system on the default factory setting (with conception of getting superior user friendly access). In this case of Google Android it was held by EC that, the strategy of Google to pre-install certain application incentivize the consumer to use and not shift to other application even of higher potential due to “status-quo bias effect”, and such practice has an adverse effect on the healthy competition in the market such conclusion was backed by the substantial evidence of consumer behaviour in the European Market. Whereas in the present case CCI without observing any substantial evidentiary value applied the same principle to the Indian market, the Indian consumer’s behaviour cannot be assumed to be identical to that of the European consumer, the reason being the pre-installation or the “status-quo bias effect” is not the sole driving factor in Indian Market. Availability of the application at the local merchants, UPI systems bestowing a higher level of incentives or success rate of transaction, viability and efficiency by the banks while performing the transaction there are such other factors which considered by the Indian consumers before making a rational decision.

Moreover, as the NPCI report competitor payment application PhonePe enjoys a majority of 44% share in a virtual transaction in the year 2021 whereas Google Pay enjoys just 35% of the share, in addition, that another competitor PayTm has the vantage of improvised users experience of less transaction failure rate by direct vertical linkage with financial institutions (banks). Both competitors of Google Pay has made substantial growth over the past year of 2021 despite Google’s dominance in the other Markets and its RSAs with the OEMs. It is of utmost importance to recall the fact that RSAs are not a mandate agreement, the OEMs are free to approach any other UPI payments app for much higher incentives. So in my opinion considering the above argument and discussion, the CCI has an errored in passing of its order to some extent.

Author : Amey Jadhav – an intern at Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorney , in case of any queries please contact/write back to us via email [email protected]

Google agreed to pay millions for California news. Journalists call it a bad deal

FILE - A Google sign hangs over an entrance to the company’s new building, Sept. 6, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

FILE - Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, smiles after measure that would force Big Tech companies to pay media outlets for using their news content was approved by the Assembly at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., June 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Google will soon give California millions of dollars to help pay for local journalism jobs in a first-in-the-nation deal , but journalists and other media industry experts are calling it a disappointing agreement that mostly benefits the tech giant.

The agreement, which was hashed out behind closed doors and announced this week, will direct tens of millions of public and private dollars to keep local news organizations afloat. Critics say it’s a textbook political maneuver by tech giants to avoid a fee under what could have been groundbreaking legislation. California lawmakers agreed to kill a bill requiring tech to support news outlets they profit from in exchange for Google’s financial commitment.

By shelving the bill, the state effectively gave up on an avenue that could have required Google and social media platforms to make ongoing payments to publishers for linking news content, said Victor Pickard, professor of media policy and political economy at the University of Pennsylvania. California also left behind a much bigger amount of funding that could have been secured under the legislation, he said.

“Google got off easy,” Pickard said.

Google said the deal will help both journalism and the artificial intelligence sector in California.

“This public-private partnership builds on our long history of working with journalism and the local news ecosystem in our home state, while developing a national center of excellence on AI policy,” Kent Walker, president of global affairs and chief legal officer for Google’s parent company Alphabet, said in a statement.

State governments across the U.S. have been working to help boost struggling news organizations. The U.S. newspaper industry has been in a long decline, with traditional business models collapsing and advertising revenues drying up in the digital era.

As news organizations move from primarily print to mostly digital, they have increasingly relied on Google and Facebook to distribute its content. While publishers saw their advertising revenues nosedive significantly in the last few decades, Google’s search engine has become the hub of a digital advertisement empire that generates more than $200 billion annually.

The Los Angeles Times was losing up to $40 million a year , the newspaper’s owner said in justifying a layoff of more than 100 people earlier this year.

More than 2,500 newspapers have closed since 2005, and about 200 counties across the U.S. do not have any local news outlets, according to a report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

California and New Mexico are funding local news fellowship programs. New York this year became the first state to offer a tax credit program for news outlets to hire and retain journalists. Illinois is considering a bill similar to the one that died in California.

Here’s a closer look into the deal California made with Google this week:

What does the deal entail?

The deal, totaling $250 million, will provide money to two efforts: funding for journalism initiatives and a new AI research program. The agreement only guarantees funding for a period of five years.

Roughly $110 million will come from Google and $70 million from the state budget to boost journalism jobs. The fund will be managed by UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. Google will also kick in $70 million to fund the AI research program, which would build tools to help solve “real world problems,” said Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, who brokered the deal.

The deal is not a tax, which is a stark departure from a bill Wicks authored that would have imposed a “link tax” requiring companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft to pay a certain percentage of advertising revenue to media companies for linking to their content. The bill was modelled after a policy passed in Canada that requires Google to pay roughly $74 million per year to fund journalism.

Why are tech companies agreeing to this now?

Tech companies spent the last two years fighting Wicks’ bill, launching expensive opposition campaigns and running ads attacking the legislation. Google threatened in April to temporarily block news websites from some California users’ search results. The bill had continued to advance with bipartisan support — until this week.

Wicks told The Associated Press on Thursday that she saw no path forward for her bill and that the funding secured through the deal “is better than zero.”

“This represents politics is the art of the possible,” she said.

Industry experts see the deal as a playbook move Google has used across the world to avoid regulations.

“Google cannot exit from news because they need it,” said Anya Schiffrin, a Columbia University professor who studies global media and co-authors a working paper on how much Google and Meta owes to news publishers. “So what they are doing is using a whole lot of different tactics to kill bills that will require them to compensate publishers fairly.”

She estimates that Google owes $1.4 billion per year to California publishers. Google disagrees with Schiffrin’s findings. A spokesperson said news queries account for under 2% of all searches and that Google doesn’t make money on them.

Why do journalists and labor unions oppose the agreement?

The Media Guild of the West, a union representing journalists in Southern California, Arizona and Texas, said journalists were locked out of the conversation. The union was a champion of Wicks’ bill but wasn’t included in the negotiations with Google.

“The future of journalism should not be decided in backroom deals,” a letter by the union sent to lawmakers reads. “The Legislature embarked on an effort to regulate monopolies and failed terribly. Now we question whether the state has done more harm than good.”

The agreement results in a much smaller amount of funding compared to what Google gives to newsrooms in Canada and goes against the goal to rebalance Google’s dominance over local news organizations, according to a letter from the union to Wicks earlier this week.

Others also questioned why the deal included funding to build new AI tools. They see it as another way for tech companies to eventual replace them. Wicks’ original bill doesn’t include AI provisions.

The deal has the support of some journalism groups, including California News Publishers Association, Local Independent Online News Publishers and California Black Media.

What’s next?

The agreement is scheduled to take effect next year, starting with $100 million to kickstart the efforts.

Wicks said details of the agreement are still being ironed out. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to include the journalism funding in his January budget, Wicks said, but concerns from other Democratic leaders could throw a wrench in the plan.

This story has been updated to correct that, as well as Southern California and Texas, the Media Guild of the West represents journalists in Arizona, not Nevada.

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Rebellion Pay: Building trust with detailed, accurate transaction data

About Rebellion Pay

Rebellion Pay was created with the aim of making banking more simple and accessible. Thanks to a user-centric, 100% mobile banking experience, the Madrid-based neobank has acquired over 200,000 users in just over two years.

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About Snowdrop Solutions

Snowdrop provides tools and services that help banks and other financial organizations make the most of location intelligence through Google Maps Platform.

Rebellion Pay uses Google Maps Platform to enrich its mobile app with detailed, real-time location data that builds customer trust by showing them exactly where and when they spend their money.

Gives peace of mind to 200,000 users with geolocation
Boosts customer trust, leading to a fivefold increase in incoming funds
Supports mission to expand the reach of online banking services beyond digital natives
Improves brand image, paving the way to future partnerships

Over the past few years, the way we manage our money has changed considerably. Long gone are the days of queuing at local branches, we’re more likely to be found checking our accounts from the gym, at the supermarket, or during our daily commute. According to a recent study, 99% of Gen Z and 98% of millennials use mobile apps for day-to-day banking tasks.

But easier access to banking services isn’t just a matter of convenience it also paves the way to greater financial inclusion. “We believe that everyone, individuals and businesses, should have access to financial products and services, such as investing, credit, savings, and payments. It’s financial wellbeing, basically,” says Gin Gindre, Chief Operating Officer at Rebellion Pay .

Accurately identifies transactions, reducing the number of customer service queries by 20%

The Madrid-based neo-bank believes that today, banking products should be affordable, accessible and focused on customer needs. To build trust, provide spending context and improve transparency, the company collaborated with Google Cloud Premier Partner Snowdrop Solutions to integrate Google Maps Platform into its mobile app.

Meeting evolving user needs with precise geolocation

“If the Covid-19 crisis has a silver lining, it’s the fact that it has broken down a lot of barriers,” Gindre explains. “Before, people over a certain age were comfortable making purchases online, but tended to be wary about actually managing their finances digitally. That’s now changing”. The team realized that in order to respond to the needs of a rapidly growing customer base they needed to reassure users and reduce anxiety around transactions with detailed, real-time information about where, when and how they spent their money.

Rebellion Pay is the first Spanish financial organization to offer geolocation features as part of its mobile app. “We seek to be as agile as possible. Customers’ needs change constantly, and we have to be able to adapt. Our users were requesting more data about their transactions, which led us to implement Google Maps Platform into our solution. As a result, we’ve reduced friction and increased all-round trust in our services,” Gindre says. Customers can now view their payments on a map showing exactly where the payment took place, rather than just an unfamiliar vendor name or merchant ID. This enables users to recognize transactions more quickly and easily, providing peace of mind and reducing anxiety about fraud.

“We seek to be as agile as possible. Customers’ needs change constantly, and we have to be able to adapt. Our users were requesting more data about their transactions, which led us to implement Google Maps Platform. As a result, we’ve reduced friction and increased all-round trust in our services.”

All of Rebellion Pay’s banking services are available on your mobile phone, these include current accounts, virtual and physical cards, and online payment services. “Basically, everything you can do with a traditional current account, you can do with us,” Gindre explains. “We need to democratize finance. Many people still don’t have access to basic financial products and services. And even when they do, fees and commissions are an issue.” The company works to ensure that as many people as possible have access to its services. Rebellion Pay enables anyone with a valid ID card to open an account within minutes and offers its basic services free of charge.

Creating a frictionless banking experience

“Users are used to a very plain experience from banks. The customer has never been at the forefront of traditional banking,” Gindre says. “We’re trying to offer something different, by giving our users what they need when they need it, in an easy and simple way.”

The Rebellion Pay team worked closely with Snowdrop, whose Merchant Reconciliation System (MRS) uses the Google Places database to match raw transaction data with merchant names, logos, and location information. The app also makes use of Places as well as the Maps Static API and Geocoding API . Notifications are managed using Firebase . “The Google Places, Maps Static and Geocoding APIs enable us to display precisely when and where a transaction took place,” says Alex Sagrado, Chief Product Officer at Rebellion Pay.

Since the implementation, the company has observed a 20% decrease in the number of customer service calls. “An acquaintance was telling me about how, the other day, she panicked and locked her card after noticing a transaction she didn’t recognize on her Rebellion Pay account,” Gindre recalls. Being able to see exactly where the payment took place jogged the customer’s memory. “She was able to unlock the card straight away. In the past, that kind of situation would have meant a lot of frustration and wasted time. She would have had to call her bank, have her card blocked, query the transaction and then order a new card, despite the fact the payment was actually legitimate. Geolocation enables situations like that to be sorted out in less than a minute.”

“The Google Places, Maps Static and Geocoding APIs enable us to display precisely when and where a transaction took place.”

Looking to the future by building up local businesses

“While our user acquisition stabilized over the pandemic, incoming funds have increased fivefold. That’s a great indicator for us, as it means that the trust level of our users is increasing,” Gindre explains. Rebellion Pay has several exciting projects in the pipeline. Alongside a potential international roll-out by the end of 2022, the company is currently exploring future partnerships, including the idea of integrating a loyalty programme with location intelligence. “We’re a young company, and we have to earn the trust of both our users and potential partners,” says Gindre. “Being able to say that we’re working with Google Maps Platform to offer geolocated transactions is a big plus.”

“We believe that geolocation will become mainstream in the banking sector, and we’re currently exploring further ways to implement it in our solutions. We have big plans, and we’re confident that Google Maps Platform can help us achieve them.”

The Rebellion Pay team is also looking forward to using geolocation to promote local businesses and encourage users to make sustainable purchasing choices. “We’re thinking about how we can help build relationships between buyers and local stores while empowering users to make better decisions, and we think Google Maps Platform is ideally placed to help us with that,” says Alex.

"We believe that geolocation will become mainstream in the banking sector, and we’re currently exploring further ways to implement it in our solutions.” says Gin. “We have big plans, and we’re confident that Google Maps Platform can help us achieve them.”

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A Comprehensive Google Pay Case Study-2023
Google Pay Redesigned-a UX Case Study on Behance
Google Pay Case Study
Google Pay Design Case Study on Behance
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