Google Wallet Might Make A Comeback

Google appears to be planning on bringing its mobile payment system Wallet back in some form after it made the app part of Google Pay, according to Android Police. 

In a Twitter thread from Mishaal Rahman, a senior technical editor at Esper, he says the company is creating a Wallet interface for Google Play Services that will act as a way to access and manage payment and transit cards, passes, rewards memberships, and other services.

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Google Wallet began as Google's NFC payment app for digitally storing payment cards back in 2011. Over time, it developed into a digital and even physical payment service.

Eventually, as part of the company's product announcements last 2018, Google merged all its payment options into Google Pay instead-including Android Pay and Google Wallet-and it became the one-stop-shop for all payment necessities.  

The decision at the time was part of the company's aim to make payment experiences "simpler, safer, and more consistent." Wallet's service was rebranded as Google Pay Send, and its user interface was overhauled. 

Presently, Google payments are mostly done through Google Pay, and Rahman says it will continue to be used for contactless payments. Based on the photos, it seems likely that the new Wallet UI will just be made available from within that app itself.

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The screenshots in the tweet also hint that perhaps the cards placed in Wallet can be accessible from elsewhere, as the photos show a link saying "learn how passes in your Wallet will appear across Google."

This adjustment has been confusing for some users. However, if Google is bringing back Wallet as a separate location to manage cards, that change might help concentrate the Google Pay experience back towards paying at stores and sending money.