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Google Looking to Support Movie Tickets, Boarding Passes, Coupons in Future Digital Wallet Initiative

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Google had hosted an event for developers that highlighted some of the things that Google is working on with Google Wallet to try to get the digital wallet application more widely adopted. In addition with showcasing its Wallet APIs, Google also gave us a look into the future of Google Wallet, including planned support for movie tickets, boarding passes, coupons, and gift cards. Though these items were named by Google Wallet project manager Robin Dua, a specific timeline was not given. Instead, Dua says that Google is in active discussions for Google Wallet partnerships.

g_wallet_visionGoogle is currently working with airlines, transit agencies, and other partners so that they can issue secure credentials for Google Wallet. This could lead to Google Wallet, the app, along with Android-based smartphones with the NFC chipset inside, to be used for tickets for things like movie tickets, boarding passes, transit passes gift cards, identification cards for schools and government agencies, and other uses.

Right now, in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system is using an NFC ticket card called Clipper Card where the card is tapped on an NFC terminal. Potentially, Clipper’s payment and authorization mechanism can be rolled into Google Wallet, for example, and customers can tap their Google Wallet-enabled phone onto Clipper readers to pay for their transit rides.

Similarly, the system can be implemented for airline tickets, movie tickets, and other event tickets like for the theater, opera and concert.

In doing so, Google would be making its Wallet application one step closer to being able to replace your physical wallet, especially with the inclusion of government and student identification cards.

The company says that it is working with more carriers to expand Google Wallet. Right now, the only carrier that actively supports Google Wallet in the U.S. is Sprint.

“We are working on expanding our carrier distribution… We hope to announce some partnerships soon.”

Additionally, Google is hoping to have a peer-to-peer payment mechanism where if you owe a friend $10, you can easily pay with Google Wallet either by sending money over the Internet or by tapping two NFC-enabled phones together.

In  addition to Google Wallet, carriers AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile USA are developing their own competing wallet service called ISIS. As reported by Brief Mobile, Google feels that its wallet system is better for consumers and merchants:

ISIS is working on “direct provisioning” of cards to an issuer. Dua doesn’t think this approach is scalable. He believes Wallet is better for end users and merchants with its new cloud-based model.

The company will be working with small businesses to create loyalty programs, discounts and rewards, and other incentives for Google Wallet.
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