Google has unveiled that it is bringing back a revamped Google Wallet for Android devices. Essentially, Google wants Wallet to be an all-encompassing replacement for your physical wallet.
Using Google Wallet, Android users can connect their credit cards and simply tap their device in stores to pay for products. Google Wallet can also store student IDs, vaccine cards, concert tickets, flight passes, Walt Disney World tickets, and more.
Due to the fact that Google Pay is baked in, you can still tap to pay at registers using NFC, and even pay someone directly from your Wallet (P2P) straight from a connected debit card or bank account!
The company also revealed it was working with states across the U.S. in order to connect personal ID cards to Google Wallet as well and users will be able to share their digital identification with a tap or QR code.
According to Google, your Android device does not share your Google Wallet data with the company and users with Android 5 devices or Wear OS will be able to upgrade to Google Wallet.Â
iPhone users have long had similar features available to them with the Apple Wallet app. But what is interesting here is how Google actually launched a Google Wallet app over a decade ago. Over the years, however, Google basically merged Google Wallet into what became known as Google Pay.
Nowadays, though, Google Pay is more of a payment processor than a Wallet app for digital cards. Google wants to transition the branding of these features back over to Google Wallet.
Google Pay is currently available in more than 40 countries and the vast majority of users living around the world will see their Google Pay app swapped with Google Wallet. Users in India are one of the exceptions. They will continue to use Google Pay for these features.
