Google has announced a change that will impact how Chrome or Google account stored credit card information is accessed for online payments. Beginning in Chrome 70, Google is requiring sites to link the PaymentRequests API to Google Pay to access this information. This is due to Google moving to the standards based Payment Handler API in Chrome 68, which was just released this week. That API allows browsers to link with digital payment providers, which Google now supports through Chrome and Google Pay.
With the announcement, it means that developers and sites will need to be updated by October 16th. That is the day that Chrome 70 is expected to be released to the various stable channels.
Today, with either Chrome or your Google Account, you can store credit card and debit card information to access quickly for online purchases. Chrome has been doing this since September 2016 and it is provides a seamless experience for making purchases. With the change to the Payment Handler API, Google is leverage Google Pay for the stored card information.
From an end user perspective, there isn’t anything you need to do. Just be aware that you will start seeing Google Pay branding pop up more frequently going forward and full time when we get to 70 in a few months.
