Google is reportedly introducing bill-paying features to its Gmail platform, Digital Spy reveals.

The service is being referred to as Pony Express during development and will allow users to settle their utility bills without leaving their inbox.

Pony Express could serve as an alternative to online payment platforms used by service providers, eliminating the need to visit the supplier's website.

Google is planning to roll out the service in the fourth quarter of this year, according to Re/code.

The search firm is said to be in talks with third-party vendors to help it verify the identity of its users and send out bills on behalf of service providers.

Pony Express is expected to be powered by the Google Wallet payments platform, but may require additional financial data from users.