What you need to know
- Google is pushing an update today (Dec 3) that lets users pair even more cards to the Wallet app on a Wear OS device.
- The newly supported cards include hotel rooms, campus IDs, and "corporate badges" for offices.
- Google Wallet as been busy expanding digital ID support to states like California alongside a teaser to bring in passports.
Having Google Wallet on your wrist is useful for quick payments, but this latest Wear OS update expands its card support.
As December gets underway, Google is rolling out its latest Play Services update (v24.47), which is heavily focused on Android and Wear OS. The standout portion of this update regards Google Wallet's new expansion of card and country support for users.
Concerning the former, the company's support page states that Wear OS devices are receiving an update that brings access to cards for hotel rooms, campus IDs, and "corporate badges."
Additionally, the page details that "more countries" can now use Google Wallet. This involves the app's appearance on Android, as well as Wear OS watches.
It's worth noting that this expansion joins Wear OS device's support for credit and debit cards. There were also a few choices for transit that users could pop onto their watch, as well as Google Wallet's support for passes via QR or barcode.
The Play Services update is also rolling in a developer feature addition that lets "Google and third-party app developers to support Device Connectivity related processes in their apps."
The update started rolling out on December 2, so users should give it a few days before Google Wallet's new support hits their devices.
It's good to see Google extending Wallet support on Wear OS devices after it's been occupied with its plans to incorporate passports into digital IDs. The company teased such a possibility in September, stating it would begin "beta-testing" U.S. passports in Wallet. A digital ID like this isn't being accepted everywhere as Google stated only "select" Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints domestically will allow it.
Those discussions started a month after California prepared to enter the digital ID game for its residents. The state started testing such functionality with DMV employees before reaching out to regular civilians at a later date. It was stated that users could enter "Add to Wallet" and tap "ID Card" to add their state ID. Similar to the passport situation, California only allowed its digital IDs to be used at "select" terminals at San Francisco International Airport, San Jose International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport.
California is joined by several more U.S. states that will soon accept digital IDs like Iowa, New Mexico, and Ohio, which have entered testing.
