Google has introduced a simple but very useful feature in Android 16: the ability to open Google Wallet With a double tap of the power button. However, this novelty presents a limitation that has raised more than one perplexity between users and experts in the sector, also in light of the fact that explanations have not come from the Mountain View company.
But let’s go in order. The function we are talking about today allows the user to quickly access Google Wallet by doing twice TAP on the power button, and thus making access faster to your card data, and beyond. Considered the wider use of these transactional tools, it is an improvement in the quality of daily life for those who frequently use Google Wallet. However, Google has decided to limit this feature exclusively to the Pixel 8 and subsequent models, And it is not clear for what reasons.
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We are waiting for technical explanations
The disparity of treatment clearly emerged during the tests conducted by some sector experts. On the Pixel 8 Pro with Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, in particular, the page “Double Press Power Button“In the Settings> System allows you to choose between the start of the Pixel and Google Wallet camera app. On the Pixel 7 Pro with the same software version, however, this page is completely absent, leaving only the old page available”Quickly Open Camera”With a simple switch for the camera shortcut.
The problem does not seem isolated to a single device. Other users on Reddit and Telegram have in fact reported the same lack of their oldest devices. When Google was directly asked, a company spokesman confirmed that the “New experience of the Wallet shortcut“It is gradually spreading in several markets.
Despite the official confirmation that The function is reserved for the most recent devicesGoogle did not provide any technical explanation for this choice. And it is here that an investigation conducted by Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority He revealed some very interesting details on the nature of this limitation.
In fact, the open-source version of Android, AOSP, does not hide the Wallet shortcut. Google therefore intentionally disabled the function on the oldest pixels by changing a configuration value called Confo_DoubletAppowEngestureModewhich limits the gesture of the double touch to the camera app alone.
The most important aspect of this discovery, however, is that when this value has been manually modified on a 7 Pro Pixel, the Wallet shortcut became immediately available and worked perfectly during all tests. In short, it seems that Hardware is perfectly capable of managing the function and that the limitation therefore wanted by Google. But why?
Is it just a commercial choice?
If the hardware can manage the start of the camera with a double tap, therefore there should be no technical reason why it cannot do the same with the Wallet app. The camera and Google Wallet are in fact both standard applications that do not require special hardware resources to be launched.
The limitation in question therefore raises questions about Google’s strategies to encourage the update of devices. Limiting purely software functionality to push users towards more recent models is a practice that does not seem to find technical justifications and that can frustrate the owners of still fully functional devices such as the Pixel 7 Pro.
For older pixels users, therefore, this decision means give up a functionality that could significantly improve the experience of daily use. The possibility of quickly accessing Google Wallet is particularly useful in situations such as payment in stores or the use of public transport, where speed is increasingly welcome and demand.
It will be necessary to understand if Google will reconsider this position in the future, perhaps extending the functionality to the oldest devices through a subsequent update. However, the intentional nature of the limitation suggests that this scenario is unlikely, leaving pixels more old users without this comfortable functionality despite their devices are technically able to support it.
