Key Takeaways
- Google Wallet now supports hotel keys, campus IDs, and corporate badges on Wear OS.
- The Play Services update expands Google Wallet to 97 countries, offering access to access cards globally.
- Google is also expected to add tap-to-pay functionality for kids under Family Link accounts in a future update.
Google Wallet is a one-stop-shop for most of our digital wallet needs. Not only does the application gain support for several new US banks every month, it also lets users store passes and tickets, keys, digital IDs, and more for quick access.
The Mountain View-based tech giant ported some of Google Wallet’s functionality over to Wear OS watches earlier this year, including PayPal support for quick payments and Pass Groups to significantly improve how passes are handled and listed on Wear OS watches.
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Now, with Google Play Services v24.47, users should be able to access a lot more directly from their wrist. As highlighted by the tech giant in new release notes today, the Play Services update should now allow users to add hotel keys, campus IDs, and corporate badges to their Android wearable devices. The new additions join the likes of bank cards, transit cards, and passes with QR codes or barcodes.
In addition to support for more access cards, the update also brings Google Wallet to more countries, with the free app now available in 97 countries on both Wear OS and Android smartphones.
You’ll have to wait for the Google Play services update to land
It’s worth noting that Google Wallet on your Android device can already store a handful of extra access cards, including the likes of driver’s licenses and even passports. These documents don’t really make sense on small screen devices, so we’re not holding our breath for them to arrive on Wear OS any time soon.
Also worth noting is that the new features are limited to wearables with NFC, which your top Android wearable should already offer. Google Play services version 24.47 is rolling out now, and might not be widely available yet.
In other Google Wallet-related news, the tech giant is finally bringing tap-to-pay Wallet functionality to kids under Family Link accounts. Slated to roll out next year, the functionality will be available to kids on their Android devices, with parents having full control over every card added to their child’s digital wallet. Akin to the feature’s implementation on the Fitbit Ace LTE, spending will be limited to in-person purchases, and parents would be able to monitor their kids’ transactions.
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