The app now needs a device to run on Android 7 or higher to be supported
Starting in June, Google Wallet will require a notably higher version of Android in order to be properly supported than it currently does.
This could cut off users with older devices
Google Wallet currently needs Android 7 or higher in order to be fully supported on a device. That oldest possible version is indeed from quite a few years ago, but this doesn’t mean that people aren’t still using it.
However, it will mean that the people who still have devices running on those older versions of Android will not be able to keep using the parent company’s mobile payments app. In June, the app will be updated and will require higher versions of Android in order to function.
The change to Google Wallet will begin on June 10 and will require Android 9 or higher
“Google Wallet will require Android 9 or higher on your phone and Wear OS 2.x or higher on your smartwatch,” said a recent announcement from the company about the compatibility of the app with devices popularly used with the application.
The decision was made to raise compatibility minimums to a later version in order to be able to ensure that an adequate amount of security will be in place for the app’s users, for the mobile payments transactions made through the application, and to be certain that consumers can feel confident in storing their sensitive documents within it.
Google stated that its “security updates aren’t available for Android versions below 9.” By choosing anything under that version, it would mean that certain users would be at an increased risk of being hacked. Therefore, they chose to make the new move with the update.
The change will affect people using Android versions at 7 or higher, but lower than 9, so Android Nougat and Oreo will need to find alternative options to Google Wallet after June 10.
The current version of Android is 14, and 15 is on its way, as was announced at the Google I/O earlier this month.