Google’s latest Pixel 7 series has brought back face unlock, but thanks to face unlock sporting a lower security class than fingerprint, some Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users are experiencing unexpectedly declined payments.
Typically when paying with Google Wallet, all your phone requires is that it’s unlocked. That’s not the case with the Pixel 7 series if you use face unlock, however.
Unrelated but every single time I try to pay with the Pixel 7 Pro, the transaction gets declined. No matter the card.
I just had to whip out an iPhone to use that to pay instead but it's really weird. https://t.co/nh6tOogvSy
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) October 16, 2022
Google says that the Pixel 7’s face unlock is rated as a class 1 biometric system. To use payment apps like Google Wallet, a class 3 biometric system like your fingerprint is required, so it appears that unlocking the phone with your face causes transactions to decline.
I mentioned this in my Pixel 7 Pro review, but I didn’t check to see what happens if I tried paying without my fingerprint.
When you’re about to pay, the app should prompt the user to use the fingerprint scanner, or explain why there’s an error, but that’s not the case.
Hopefully, Google pushes out an update for this issue, and either prompts people to use their fingerprint or at least explains why the payment didn’t go through.
Source: 9to5Google, @MaxWeinbach
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