What you need to know
- Google Wallet gains expanded support for additional countries/regions.
- The smartphone app is now available in a total of 45 countries.
- The app is not yet supported on Wear OS in these newly added countries/regions.
- Google Wallet recently launched as a revamp to Google's digital wallet efforts.
Google Wallet was announced earlier this year in May but didn't start rolling out until late July with support for nearly 40 countries. However, Google announced that the app is now gaining support for an additional six countries.
A blog post on Tuesday revealed that Google Wallet has expanded its reach to more regions, bringing the total number of supported countries/regions to 45. The newly added countries/regions include Azerbaijan, Iceland, Moldova, Qatar, Serbia, and South Africa.
Google Wallet is the search giant's newly revamped digital wallet effort that aims to consolidate all of our digital needs into a comprehensive solution. Not only does the app store payment cards, but it can store loyalty cards, car keys, transit passes, IDs, and much more.
The app was launched as an update in countries where the older version of Google Pay was still available. However, users in select countries such as the United States and Singapore use a separate Google Wallet app in tandem with the newer Google Pay, with both apps serving different purposes. That said, the system used to make payments continues to be Google Pay. It seems a bit convoluted, but fortunately, we have an explainer to help wrap your mind around the difference between Google Pay and Google Wallet.
Confusing strategies aside, the new Google Wallet recently launched on the best Android phones and Wear OS watches. That said, support for Wear OS payments doesn't seem to be in the cards for these new countries, as noted by the support page, but hopefully, it won't be long before Google expands support for its smartwatches.
