What you should know
- Google Wallet for Wear OS has recently expanded its capabilities to include support for airline boarding passes.
- The update allows the Google Wallet app on smartwatches to display a new notification about the user’s boarding pass, with an option to view the pass and access the QR code for easy gate scanning.
- The addition of boarding pass support follows the introduction of loyalty card support in December, although COVID cards, health insurance cards, and private passes were excluded from the list.
- The support documentation for Google Wallet provides information on how to find passes on the smartwatch’s Wallet app, and includes troubleshooting info for users who can’t find the option to add a boarding pass to their watch. The watch must be running Wear OS 3.5 or newer and the Google Wallet app on the watch must be version 23.46.x or above.
Full Story
Google Wallet for Wear OS has recently leveled up its game. It now supports airline boarding passes, a feature added after the inclusion of loyalty card support last December.
9to5Google reports that the new update will trigger a notification on your Wear OS 3+ device. This alert, courtesy of Google Wallet, will pop up on your smartwatch. It’s all about your flight’s boarding pass.
You’re flying somewhere? Cool. You’ll get a nudge about your boarding pass, complete with an option to tap on “View pass”. And voila! You get your QR code ready for a swift gate scan.
(Image Credit: 9to5Google)
This update is a game-changer for Google Wallet on Wear OS. It’s like a power-up, enhancing the app’s functionality and enabling it to sync more smoothly with a broader spectrum of phone features.
Remember when Google rolled out loyalty card support in December? It was pretty basic, catering to simple membership schemes and pass types. But, it had its limitations. COVID cards, health insurance cards, and private passes didn’t make the cut.
Some Pixel Watch 2 users are already enjoying this feature. But folks like me, still rocking the original Pixel Watch, are left hanging. We’re waiting for this server-side update. But hey, this feature wasn’t announced as a Pixel Watch 2 exclusive, so there’s hope for us OG Pixel Watch users.
Google Wallet’s support documentation is pretty handy too. It guides you on finding your passes on your smartwatch’s Wallet app. And if you’re struggling to locate the “add your boarding pass” option, there’s troubleshooting info to the rescue.
According to the docs, passes are automatically synced across all your devices. But your watch needs to be running Wear OS 3.5 or newer. And the Google Wallet app on the watch? It needs to be version 23.46.x or above.
Oh, and Fitbit devices? They’re not part of the club. They’re not supported. Bummer, right?