Google Wallet adds whimsical Pay animations for the holidays

Abner Li | Dec 17 2022 - 4:30 am PT

If you recently used Google Wallet on Android, you might have noticed a touch of holiday whimsy on the Pay screen.

Normally, tapping your Android phone to an NFC reader shows the card used and a loading animation just above it. The blue circular progress indicator morphs into a checkmark with that circle, then shrinks to make way for the Google Pay logo.

During the holidays, the blue checkmark can morph into any number of characters. One of the more elaborate animations is a cat wearing several holiday sweaters that rolls off your screen to reveal the G Pay icon. It features very smooth transitions, and you don’t even suspect it’s going to occur. The 3-second sequence nearly triples in length, though you can exit or lock your device at any time.

The other design we’ve seen involves marshmallows drinking hot chocolate while in a mug. There are presumably more Pay animations, so be sure to chime in below with the ones you’ve encountered when using Google Wallet over the holidays.

This is not the first time Google has used this screen to add a touch of whimsy. When the service was still branded Android Pay in 2017, the green figurine morphed into various Justice League superheroes. In fact, collecting all five designs resulted in a special action figure prize.