• by Ray Schultz , February 26, 2019

Google is testing an integration between Gmail and the Google Pay app that would allow the import of loyalty cards and other promotional items, according to a report on Saturday by XDA Developers, a software development community.  

A screenshot of the a feature shared with XDA by Google reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong features this text: 

“Get offers from your inbox @...

“Connect to gmail for easy access to things like tickets, passes, and offers sent to your account right here in the app. 

“You can always update your choice in settings.”

To the right of the screen are what appear to be several loyalty cards.

Once the settings have been enabled, Google Pay “will automatically import loyalty cards, tickets, and other offers sent to your Gmail inbox,” the report says.

It’s not clear when this integration will be rolled out, or where. But it could be a boon to email marketers.

Android Police broke the news in a teardown last December, stating:

“Most of the other Google apps have adopted disparate notification channels for the various purposes that might come up, but Pay managed to slip under the radar for quite some time.”

The post adds: “It looks like this one is finally joining the movement as the names and descriptions for eight different channels and five groups have been added.”

The groups are specified as follows:

• Nearby
• Where you can use passes
  Find out where you can use your loyalty programs, rewards cards, and more
• Where you can pay in store
  Find out when you’re near a store that accepts Google Pay
• Send & request money
• Alerts
  Get notified when someone sends you money, or requests it
• Reminders
  Get notified about your scheduled reminders to send or request money
• Passes
• Updates
  Stay up-to-date on events and flights, or when your saved offers are about to expire
• Important updates
  Stay up-to-date on account and payment method issues
• Payment activity
• Purchases
  See transaction details after you make a purchase
• Promotions
• Offers & tips
  Get offers and tips relevant to you

In a separate development, Google is bringing its Material Theme feature to iOS, following its appearance last week in Android.

The redesign, previewed at CloudNext 2018 last July, does away with the red app bar and accent and is stark white, according to 9to5 Google.