Back in May, tech giant, Google announced at its annual Google I/O conference that it would combine Google Pay with several features scattered across other apps into a brand-new app called Google Wallet. Now, Google Wallet is officially live and available to download by Android users in 39 countries – though it will work a little differently in some markets.
Google Wallet Also Has Deep Integration with Other Google Apps
Google Wallet combines payments with the ability to save vaccine cards, transit and event tickets, and boarding and loyalty passes. The features are similar to what Apple offers with its Wallet, but Google’s version has certain advantages, such as deep integration with other Google apps like Maps. Google Wallet keeps your boarding passes and loyalty cards, too.
The name will be confusing for some users, given that Google already launched an app called Google Wallet back in 2011, only to merge its features into Google Pay. Now, with Google Pay folding into Wallet, it’s the other way around.
In addition to this, in most of these markets, Google Pay will simply become Google Wallet via an automatic update. But in the U.S. and Singapore, Google Wallet will be available for download as a separate app from the Google Play Store, and will continue to co-exist with the Google Pay app. According to Google, this is for people who want “deeper payment experiences such as viewing and managing their transactions, making P2P payments, and saving money with offers.”
Android Users Can Load Different Cards on the New Payment System
Google Wallet is available to download from the Google Play Store. Users must be running Android 5.2 or later and possess a Google account and a valid US phone number. From there, you should be able to begin adding different cards to your Google Wallet. If you already have a card connected to the Google Play Store or YouTube, your card should be loaded.
Read more: Google Launches its Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan
