MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Google's digital assistant can now manage peer-to-peer money transfers using Google Pay on Android and iOS.
People will be able to ask the assistant via voice or text things like "Hey Google, request $15 from Sam" or "Hey, Google, send Asher $20 for lunch today," CNET explained.
The free service will reach Google's smart speaker "in the coming months," the company said.
“Google Assistant's new abilities come as Google and Amazon are battling each other for dominance in the new world of digital assistants. Both tech titans are continually adding new features and partnerships to Google Assistant, on the one hand, and Amazon's Alexa, on the other, to stay one step ahead,” CNET said.
With Google rolling out peer-to-peer money transfers, there's now greater likelihood Amazon will match with a similar service through Amazon Pay, as it's done with past Google Assistant skills, CNET noted.
“That effort may already be in the works,” noted CNET which previously reported that the software firm Daon was developing a money transfer service on Alexa that some banks may introduce later this year. “Google Assistant's new skill could also create more competition for Square, Zelle, and PayPal's Venmo, all of which offer money transfer apps,” CNET stated.