The New Google Wallet is Official With Driver’s License Support
  • Posted byby Kellen

The New Google Wallet is Official With Driver’s License Support

A new Google Wallet was announced this week. Yes, we have another Google Wallet app. It looks like it’s just a rebranding of the “Google Pay” (not GPay) app you currently have, but with a throwback name to get re-familiar with. Or maybe it’s new. Whatever the case, it’s the return of Google Wallet, at least in name.

The big idea here is that this is a digital wallet that won’t just store your cards and transit passes and tickets. It will also store your digital ID or driver’s license, so that you can leave your entire physical wallet at home. It’ll also store things like a COVID vaccine card, you know, since we’re going to need those forever. Oh, if you own a fancy car that doesn’t need a physical key, you could put your digital car key in this new Google Wallet too.

Eventually, Google hopes to partner with everyone that might want to add a card or pass or service to Google Wallet, so that you can see transit balances, add to them, etc. They are also already collaborating with states and international partners to bring digital driver’s license to reality. Who knows how long it’ll take before you can actually leave your wallet at home, but hey, we like the idea of this future.

Additionally, Google plans to bring this new Google Wallet to Wear OS soon enough with support for payment cards to start.

The new Google Wallet is only listed as “coming soon” to over 40 countries. We’ll let you know when it launches.

Written by

Kellen

It’s not often that you get to merge personal passions into a professional life, but that’s what Kellen did when he launched Droid Life in 2009. After working years of unsatisfying jobs in the medical and property management fields, he took a risk to try and create an online community while playing with the coolest gadgets on the planet each day, a risk that has turned out to be incredibly rewarding. Outside of Droid Life, Kellen is your typical Portlander who drinks way too much good beer, complains often about the Trail Blazers, and can be found out on the streets for a run, rain or shine.

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19 Comments

  • I’ve been keeping my vaccine card in gpay for awhile, but its a pain because you have to unlock the phone to see anything other than the default credit card. hopefully they change this because handing an unlocked phone to a cop so they can look at my driver’s license would be insane

    • They spoke of a way to share ur ID without handing over ur phone. Not sure how it works but they did say it was possible. I wouldnt hand my phone over either!

    • Most of the medical insurance apps and MyChart have now put the vaccine card on the splash screen of their apps with a QR code for quick scan. May be easier that way

  • I’m guessing most places won’t take the phone ID if I’m trying to buy alcohol…

  • About time! The current Google Pay is a mess in trying to look past all of the social messaging and coupon discounts in the app to just find a gift card or library card. I use my phone to tap and pay everywhere even at the gas pump, but it is a real mess if you ever actually open the app. Anything to get an easier way to access loyalty cards, movie tickets, airline passes, train tickets, drivers license, proof of insurance, gym card, etc. All that other stuff in Google Pay is just bunk that only people in India use!

  • There’s no way this could POSSIBLY be exploited. Nobody can DIGITALLY MANIPULATE a digital ID.

    • Google is using amazing security and encryption features on phones now so the likely hood of your digital ID being hacked is almost zero. If the States can keep them secure, then Google and Apple definitely can. Just because you don’t understand how something works doesn’t mean its easy to do like when they hack into a phone on an episode of 24, NCIS, or CIS. Google posted an excellent video yesterday on how they have advanced security on Pixel phones

      • You act like someone couldn’t just use an edited screenshot when buying beer.

    • Unless they hack into the dmv of the state, it will likely not. The ID can be scanned, which takes it to the actual dmv listing to get the info.

  • Apple started the whole ID thing last year and it’s only barely taking off now. I believe only 3 states are on-board, with AZ being the first state to give it the full green light. It’ll be the one feature that won’t be Googles fault for taking so long to implement. You’ll have to wait on each state for approval prior. Enjoy!

    • 13. Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Ohio, Utah, and Puerto Rico are integrating with Apple. Google has some catching up to do with the virtual wallet but the framework has been laid

      • They’re integrated, but they have to be accepted. As far as I know, AZ is the only state that legally acknowledges the digital ID.

      • Georgia already has the app on Android for using it for license. Started about 6 or more months ago

    • you can in Google Pay. It’s just difficult to find the gift card once you load them in because one they are buried in the app and two because they are mixed in with the loyalty cards. JC Penny and Celebration Cinema are two gift cards that show balances on mine and updates as I use

  • Is it just me or didn’t Google I/O used to have more software feature announcements go live on the day? Now we just get a bunch of promises in the air that don’t mean anything. Google assistant for Galaxy Watch 4 is a perfect example. We were told last year that it would be coming. It’s been over a year now and all they say is Summer.

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