New Google Wallet features for travelers and commuters
Since its launch over two years ago, millions of people in more than 90 countries and territories have used Google Wallet to securely save and access everyday essentials, from payment cards to train and event tickets and more.
And digital wallet adoption continues to rise: According to a recent study with PYMNTS.com, 70% of consumers across Brazil, France, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. use digital wallets.
Google, which is also extending its payment service to 50 more countries, announced that UK residents will soon be able to create digital ID passes using their passports and store them securely within Google Wallet.
As part of this initiative, the tech giant has teamed up with the Rail Delivery Group, enabling train passengers to use their digital ID to confirm eligibility for specific railcards.
Google also noted that it is in discussions to gain certification under the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) digital identity trust framework. This could potentially enable the use of Google Wallet ID passes for activities such as purchasing alcohol.
Additionally, the company is developing more applications for digital ID, including account recovery for services like Amazon, accessing online healthcare platforms, and verifying identities on services such as Uber.
Google Wallet now features new notifications when a pass changes or gets a message — for example, you’ll get a notification if the assigned seat on your boarding pass changes or if your favorite coffee shop has a new daily special. And in addition to accessing your passes from your Android device, you can now access them on the web at wallet.google.com.
I am one of the editors here at www.systemtek.co.uk I am a UK based technology professional, with an interest in computer security and telecoms.