Wear OS adds boarding pass support
Google Wallet can now display airline boarding passes as QR codes on Wear OS smartwatches... More
Wear OS
Google Wallet goes live in Colombia
Google Wallet has launched in Colombia, enabling users to store and use their credit and debit cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital credentials on their Android NFC smartphone, Wear OS smartwatch or Fitbit device... More
Google Wallet begins to roll out in Japan
Google Wallet has launched in Japan, enabling users to store and use their credit, debit, transit and loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital credentials on their Android NFC smartphone or Wear OS smartwatch... More
Google Wallet goes live in Costa Rica
Google Wallet has launched in Costa Rica, enabling users to store and use their credit and debit cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital credentials on their Android NFC smartphone, Wear OS smartwatch or Fitbit device... More
Google Wallet arrives on Fitbit devices and expands to 12 more countries
Fitbit users are now able to add Google Wallet to Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches and then use their wearable to make contactless payments in 45 countries, including 7 of the 12 countries where Google Wallet is now available for the first time... More
Google Wallet rolls out in Malaysia
Google Wallet has gone live in Malaysia, enabling users to store and use their credit and debit cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital credentials on their Android NFC smartphone or Wear OS smartwatch... More
Contactless payments set to hit US$10tn globally by 2027
Global contactless transaction values will reach US$10tn by 2027, up from US$4.6tn in 2022, with contactless mobile and wearable payments expected to grow by 221% and contactless card payments by 119% over the same period, according to a Juniper Research forecast... More
Google Wallet expands to six more countries
Google Wallet has gone live in Azerbaijan, Iceland, Moldova, Qatar, Serbia and South Africa, enabling users to store and use their credit and debit cards, tickets, passes and other digital credentials on their Android NFC devices... More
Google launches multipurpose digital wallet with support for digital IDs, tickets and payment cards
Google is rolling out a digital wallet that will enable users to store, use and present digital identity documents and driving licences as well as payment cards, transit and event tickets, boarding and loyalty passes, health documents such as Covid-19 vaccination certificates, hotel keys and office badges on their Android smartphone or Wear OS smartwatch... More
Google Pay goes live in Austria
Google Pay has officially launched its app for owners of both Android smartphones and Wear OS smartwatches in Austria. Austrian customers of neobanks and fintechs including Curve, Monese, N26, Revolut and Viva Wallet have been able to use Google Pay via their mobile banking app since November 2020. More
Google Pay adds support for contactless payments on Wear OS watches in 16 more countries
Owners of a smartwatch running Google’s Wear OS operating system will soon be able to use it to make contactless payments using Google Pay in 16 additional countries... More
Google launches Android Ready SE Alliance to drive adoption of digital credentials
Google has joined with secure element (SE) vendors to launch the Android Ready SE Alliance to accelerate the adoption of new use cases for Android devices including digital car keys and mobile IDs... More
Louis Vuitton unveils luxury NFC smartwatch
Louis Vuitton’s new Wear OS luxury smartwatch fully revealed — PhoneArena — “Besides the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor, the newest platform for smartwatches, Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon sports a 1.2-inch circular Amoled display (390 x 390 pixels resolution), 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory… The smartwatch comes with NFC (near field communication) technology that will allow users to make payments on the fly using Google Pay.”
Kate Spade unveils fashion smartwatch with NFC payments
Kate Spade’s second Wear OS watch gets a serious tech upgrade — Engadget — “The Scallop Smartwatch 2 packs GPS, NFC and heart rate sensors onboard — all things its predecessor didn’t have. But it still retains the scalloped edging around the face like before, and further incorporated the pattern to the edges of this generation’s straps.”
Tory Burch unveils smartwatch with NFC payments support
Tory Burch launches its Classic Gigi as the brand’s first touchscreen smartwatch — Tory Burch — “This new piece is a state-of-the-art smartwatch that balances fashion and function with features that include heart-rate tracking, swimproof functionality, payment methods, untethered GPS and more… Powered with Wear OS by Google and Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC, the new ToryTrack Gigi Touchscreen Smartwatch is compatible with both iPhone and Android phones.”
Misfit launches smartwatch with NFC payments support
Hello Misfit Vapor 2 — Misfit — “Vapor 2 provides users with an elevated smartwatch experience boasting new features such as two different size options, new and improved heart rate tracking, standalone GPS, and NFC support… Misfit Vapor 2 launches on the heels of and is powered by the new Wear OS by Google.”
Fossil launches sports watch with NFC payments
Watchmaker Fossil has added a Wear OS smartwatch to its range of NFC-enabled wearable payments devices... More
Armani launches Wear OS smartwatch with NFC payments
Armani Exchange Connected is the company’s first smartwatch with Wear OS, NFC, heart-rate, more — 9to5Google — “The Armani Exchange Connected is the first touchscreen watch from the company… The watch offers features such as NFC, heart-rate tracking, a swimproof design, and built-in GPS.”
Wear OS update lets smartwatch users make faster NFC payments
Google’s redesigned Wear OS might make smartwatches worth buying again — Mashable — “Previously, if you wanted to use Google Pay on your smartwatch, you’d need to launch the app, which was a multi-tap process. Now, you can make a payment much quicker. It’s not as quick as double-pressing the side button on the Apple Watch to fire up Apple Pay, but it’s way faster than the old way.”
Fossil to add NFC payments to multiple smartwatch brands?
FCC reveals seven new Wear OS watches with NFC from Fossil Group [U: Two more models] — 9to5Google — “The Fossil Group is comprised of several fashion brands, with Fossil, Skagen, Misfit, Michael Kors, and others all making Wear OS devices. In general, they share the underlying technology, but different casing, styles, and sometimes features.”