Google Wallet users will soon be able to add their state ID or driver's license to Google Wallet. Announced today, Maryland ID or driver's license holders can now store their ID cards in the Google Wallet app on phones running Android 8.0 or later with device lock enabled Google has been testing digital state The new support for Google Wallet will be available to residents of Arizona, Colorado, and Georgia "in the coming months." It will be offered, and more states are expected to follow.
"Google is working with many state and international partners on mobile devices." Dong Min Kim, director of product management for Google Wallet, told The Verge." The mobile driver's license will be a phased rollout, expanding to other states over time. Based on state readiness and other integration logistics, we intend to partner with all states interested in offering mobile driver's licenses."
GIF demonstrating how to add a custom card to Google Wallet. As long as you have a barcode or QR code, you will be able to add customized membership cards and travel vouchers to Google Wallet in no time. Image is for reference only: Google. The update also introduces the ability to create a digital version of a card or pass that has a barcode or QR code on it, such as a gym membership or library card, simply by taking a photo of it.Google Wallet already supports a variety of passes and loyalty memberships, but these typically rely on third-party operators to add support for this feature on their own. With this update, Wallet users will be able to store transportation QR tickets, parking tickets, and even e-commerce return QR codes that do not normally have a digital "card" equivalent.
In keeping with the transportation theme, Google will also make it easier to complete travel check-in on your phone before arriving at the airport or train station (assuming you are a Google Messages user.) RCS-enabled Google Messages users will be able to receive tickets and boarding passes directly in the Messages app, and from there they can save them to Google Wallet. Vietnam Airlines and Spanish rail giant Renfe are the first two travel companies to support this feature; Google did not mention a release date for these new Wallet features, only that both are "coming soon."
Google will also be working with health insurer Humana to develop a digital version of the provider's health insurance card, allowing Humana members to access their insurance information directly from the Wallet app. UK residents will also be able to store their national insurance number (the UK equivalent of a social security number) in Wallet from the HMRC app. These cards and passes are more secure than travel passes and require identification by fingerprint scan or PIN each time they are added, viewed, or used. Similarly, health insurance cards and passes containing sensitive information will be labeled as "private passes" within Google Wallet.
Finally, German users can now store Deutschlandtickets in Google Wallet, a monthly ticket that can be used on all public transportation in the region.Google will also introduce corporate badges in Google Wallet later this year, allowing employees to secure access to their workplace without a physical staff pass.