Google I/O 2022 has already given us plenty of nerdy announcements, and alongside major updates to Google Search and Android, Google also announced its 'new' Google Wallet experience. If that sentence leaves you scratching your head, you aren't alone. Google Wallet launched way back in 2011 as a way to make NFC payments on Android smartphones. It was simple, effective, and years ahead of Apple Pay (something that wouldn't launch until 2014).
But, as with most Google products, Google Wallet was just the beginning of a series of confusing rebrands. In 2015, Google rebranded NFC payments on Android phones to 'Android Pay' and kept the Google Wallet app around to send/receive money from friends. Android Pay and Google Wallet were later merged into a single Google Pay app in 2018, with that app receiving a major UI redesign in 2020.
In Google's infinite wisdom, the company has decided that it's time for another rebrand. During the opening keynote for I/O 2022, Google announced that the current Google Pay app is being rebranded back to Google Wallet. As silly as the whole situation is, the 'new' name does make sense. The current Google Pay isn't just for making payments at stores. It's also a place where you can store loyalty cards, vaccine cards, boarding passes, concert tickets, etc. Google Wallet is a better representation of all those things, hence the name change. You'll still see the Google Pay branding here and there, but that'll be limited to the payment functionality inside of Google Wallet. Furthermore, the 'GPay' app is sticking around as a place to find cash back deals and monitor your spending.
Digital IDs & Driver's Licenses Are Coming To Google Wallet
In addition to all of the cards/passes that already exist in Google Pay today, the new Google Wallet app will also introduce digital IDs and digital driver's licenses for the first time. Similar to how digital IDs work in Apple Wallet, digital IDs in Google Wallet will vary from state to state depending on local laws. It may be a while before the state you live in allows digital IDs in Google Wallet, but the foundation is now there to get the ball rolling.
Confused? We don't blame you. Google's branding around Google Pay has always been kind of a mess. This latest switch to Google Wallet is supposed to help clear things up, but how well that actually works remains to be seen. Google plans to start replacing the Google Pay name with Google Wallet this summer.
Source: Google