Google Wallet now active for Indian users: How to use the app and how is it different from Google Pay

Google Wallet was officially launched in India on Tuesday for Android smartphones. The app available in India is slightly different from its international counterparts. The Indian version has been designed to organise digital tickets for travel, movies, events, public transport passes, gift cards, and more.

As per Google Wallet website, Google Wallet is a ‘secure and private digital wallet’ that allows users quick access to movie and travel passes, tickets, keys or IDs that they share on the app. The brand has tied up with 20 Indian brands including e-commerce platform Flipkart, airline companies such as Air India and IndiGo, cinema multiplex chain PVR and INOX, MakeMyTrip (MMT), and more, to offer the mentioned services. Google Wallet app is available on the Google Play Store in India for Android smartphones.

It is to be noted that Wallet app in India will not support payment features, such as saving debit or credit cards in the wallet for on-tap payments.

Google Wallet and available services

> Movie and event tickets: Users with android smartphones can save their tickets digitally on their Google Wallets. Like, they buy movie tickets at PVR or INOX and save them on Google Wallet to use it later.

> Boarding passes: Google has tied with airlines, such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and online ticketing platforms, such as MakeMyTrip, Easymytrip, Ixigo. The Wallet app will allow users to save their mobile boarding pass for quick access. Additionally, Pixel smartphone users can add their boarding pass to Google Wallet simply by taking a screenshot.

> Public transport: Google has partnered with Kochi Metro, Hyderabad Metro, VRL Travels, and Abhibus to provide access to transit tickets of travellers using these services.

> Documents: Google Wallet users can create new passes in wallets by simply clicking a picture of any document containing a barcode or QR code. This includes luggage tags and parking receipts.

> Gift cards: Consumers have the ability to store and retrieve their reward points and vouchers from various retailers including Flipkart (Supercoins), Dominos, Shoppers Stop, and those associated with loyalty program providers like Pinelabs, EasyRewardz, and Twid, right through Google Wallet.

> Automatically view tickets from Gmail: If users have smart personalisation settings in Gmail turned on, some tickets and passes you receive in your email – for example movie tickets and train tickets – will automatically appear on your Google Wallet for a select set of partners.

What happens to Google Pay now

While Google has launched the Google Wallet app as a ‘secure and private digital wallet’ that allows users quick access to payment cards, passes, tickets, keys or IDs that they share on the app, Google Pay will remain as its payments platform. Google Pay is a multifunctional digital wallet suitable for an extensive array of transactions. This includes making contactless payments in brick-and-mortar stores, buying goods within apps, and conducting transactions for online purchases.

On its website, Google said: "As services become increasingly digitized, most of us now rely on our phones for quick access to our everyday essentials. While the Google Pay app remains your destination for all things payments, Google Wallet now brings a new level of convenience to the Android experience in India."