New Google Wallet app coming soon with digital IDs, car keys and more

Google is reimagining the wallet with the new Google Wallet app that's coming soon to over 40 countries. It'll be available on Android and Wear OS, the company announced at today's Google I/O 2022 developer conference, where it also announced the upcoming Pixel 6a smartphone, Pixel Buds Pro earbuds, and Pixel Watch. It also teased the public with very early looks at the flagship Pixel 7, Pixel Tablet, and an AR glasses prototype.

The new Google Wallet will not be a simple digital payment tool; instead, Google's hope is that it'll indeed be able to completely replace your actual wallet by being able to accommodate all types of important cards you might be wearing with you, including credit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards, boarding passes, vaccine cards, even digital car keys and IDs.

Incorporating digital IDs is one of the headline features for the upcoming Google Wallet. Google is working with states to make this possible, and at least initially, the company is promising to let you store a digital version of your driver's license. Meanwhile, car manufacturer partners, like BMW, are expected to make their digital car keys compatible with Wallet as well.

Another thing Google trumpets quite loudly is Wallet's enhanced security. Automatically way more secure than your average physical wallet, it build onto that with encrypted purchases, fine data control and privacy. The company promises that all of this sensitive data such as digital IDs, Covid vaccines and more is stored straight on the phone and is never shared without permission, including with Google.

Another neat, advanced Google Wallet functionality is that you can connect it to the other Google apps and services already running on your phone for an even more helpful experience. For example, if you happen to have a boarding pass stored in Wallet, it'll automatically notify you ahead of time if there's a change or delay concerning your flight. When heading to a concert, Wallet will remind you of your saved tickets and make them easily accessible. Google's already partnered with transit agencies, health institutions, retail chains, airlines and more to make it possible for their systems to create tickets and cards for the new Google Wallet.