Google Wallet debuts in India, can store your car keys, tickets, and more

Updated on 08-May-2024

HIGHLIGHTS

Google Wallet was first launched in the US as a payments app, back in 2011.

It digitally stores your transit passes, office badges, and more.

Google has shared that GPay will remain in India and is its primary payments app.

Google has finally introduced its Google Wallet in India. This doesn’t come as a complete shocker, people have been anticipating the same for a while now. Some users were also able to download it from the Play Store. Well now, it is officially here. Read along to find out what Google Wallet does, and how it is different from Google Pay.

Well, as the name suggests, Google Wallet is your digital wallet. It was first launched in the US as a payments app, back in 2011. Now, it has finally made its way to India, despite Google denying the claims earlier. For its India debut, the brand has collaborated with companies like PVR & Inox, Air India, Indigo, Flipkart, AbhiBus, Kochi Metro and more.

Also read: Google may ask you to pay for AI-powered search soon: Is this future of online search?

What does Google Wallet do?

Essentially, Google Wallet digitally stores your transit passes, office badges, vaccine records, car keys, boarding passes, and even student IDs. With Google Wallet, you can even do NFC payments. That means that you can make contactless payments too.

Does it mean GPay is gone?

No, that’s not true. Google has shared that GPay will remain in India and is its primary payments app. Google Wallet is just a digital place to store everything.

Also read: Google Soundpod takes on paytm and PhonePe POS machines: Plans, Price, and more

Ram Papatla, GM and India Engineering Lead, Android at Google, said, “The arrival of Google Wallet in India marks an important milestone in Android’s India journey, bringing innovative and convenient experiences to simplify peoples’ daily lives. We are delighted to partner with many of India’s top brands to offer a comprehensive solution that helps you securely access and manage your everyday essentials. From boarding passes to loyalty cards, and event tickets to public transport passes – they’re there when you need them.”

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Mustafa Khan

Mustafa is new on the block and is a tech geek who is currently working with Digit as a News Writer. He tests the new gadgets that come on board and writes for the news desk. He has found his way with words and you can count on him when in need of tech advice. No judgement. He is based out of Delhi, he’s your person for good photos, good food recommendations, and to know about anything GenZ.