Back at Google I/O 2022 in May, Google announced its new Google Wallet, and the mobile app is now rolling out to users on Android 5.2 and later.
“Google Wallet is now available to download!” the Google Android account tweeted today. “Tap to pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted, board a flight, go to a movie, and more, with your Android device. And with security and privacy controls, Google Wallet is safer than a physical wallet.”
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Google Wallet has a long and complicated history, but the short version is that it was combined with Android Pay in 2018 to create Google Pay. But with this change, Wallet is once again a standalone app, and it’s designed as a digital replacement for your physical wallet with payment card, airplane ticket, government ID, vaccination proof, and car key functionality. Google says it has partnered with hundreds of transit agencies, retailers, ticket providers, health agencies, and airlines so they can create digital versions of their cards or tickets for Google Wallet.
Meanwhile, Google Pay will continue as the place to send money to others. Google now describes Pay as “a companion app where you can do more payments-focused things like send and receive money from friends or businesses, discover offers from your favorite retailers or manage your transactions.”