Google Wallet plans for biometric authentication, broad ID document support revealed

Google Wallets are expanding from payments and biometric ID documents like mobile driver’s licenses and passports to “Everything else.”

An APK (Android Application Package) teardown by Android Authority reveals plans to include automatic identification, scanning and storage of a wide range of ID credentials and other documents in Google Wallet. The “Everything else” option allows scans of documents the user specifies as normal or private. Normal ones, like student IDs and business cards, do not require authentication to be saved or accessed, but private documents such as tax IDs and other government issued credentials will require biometric authentication.

The permissions make clear that all processing occurs on the user’s device.

Google introduced support for Georgia’s mDL in its digital wallet last year, and U.S. passports just weeks ago.

Documents that Google Wallet will soon support include health insurance, loyalty cards, residence permits, vehicle registration, library cards, event tickets and voter ID cards, along with those mentioned above. There is also an “other” category for documents the app can’t recognize, and users can enter those credentials’ information manually.

The feature is not available in the production version of Google Wallet, but is expected to be part of the next version update.

The update comes against a backdrop of proliferating digital wallets from governments and other technology developers.

Article Topics

biometric payments  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Google  |  Google Wallet  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)