Google Wallet Contactless Payment App Launches in India

By siliconindia  |  Monday, 22 April 2024, 12:08:51 PM IST

Google Wallet Contactless Payment App Launches in India
Google Wallet has made its debut in India, becoming available for Android smartphone users through the Google Play Store. This digital wallet app is being rolled out in phases and offers the ability to make contactless payments using tokenized debit and credit cards. By replacing actual card numbers with unique codes or virtual cards, the app ensures secure transactions. In addition to facilitating contactless payments, Google Wallet serves as a digital storage solution for gift cards, gym memberships, event tickets, flight tickets, and more.
Distinct from Google Pay, Google Wallet does not offer UPI payment services and is focused on enabling contactless payments via credit and debit cards. The app is compatible with smartphones that support near-field communication (NFC). According to a report by TechCrunch, Google plans to maintain both Google Pay and Google Wallet apps in India to serve different user needs.
The app extends its functionality to WearOS-powered smartwatches, allowing users to make contactless payments directly from their watch. This compatibility has been tested on devices such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic LTE, demonstrating the ability to load a credit card onto the smartwatch.
Android smartphone users can now download Google Wallet from the Play Store and add their cards along with passes. The app includes an option to automatically add passes from Gmail, and users can enable biometric verification to authenticate each payment.
Prior to the app's official release, reports on social media platform X indicated that Google Wallet was already functional when sideloaded. With its official launch on the Play Store, users can now download and experience the full capabilities of Google Wallet. For those with Samsung devices, the Samsung Wallet app offers similar features, providing an alternative digital wallet option.

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