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Google Wallet Adds Digital Home Keys for Compatible Smart Locks
Confirmed
In Short: Google Wallet for Android is rolling out support for digital home keys for compatible smart locks, initially in the Google Home Public Preview program.
Google Wallet for Android is rolling out support for digital home keys for compatible smart locks, initially in the Google Home Public Preview program. Users with supported locks can add their home keys directly to Google Wallet, making the process more seamless.
According to 9To5Google, once added, the key will automatically sync across compatible Android phones signed into the same Google Wallet account. This feature is expected to roll out to all users over the coming weeks.
The digital home keys are based on the Aliro standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, and currently only three locks are supported. Among them, the Aqara U400 is the only one that can unlock hands-free, as noted by AndroidPure.
Digital home keys have been available through other platforms like Samsung Wallet and Apple Wallet for some time. Google's implementation allows users to unlock compatible locks using Near Field Communication (NFC), as explained by Digital Trends.
Google Wallet's new feature, called 'Unlock on Approach,' allows users to unlock their smart locks without manually tapping a button. However, this hands-free unlocking must be enabled manually through the Google Wallet app.
Club Quarters, a hotel chain with locations in New York, Boston, and London, is one of the first to support hotel keys in Google Wallet. Users can unlock rooms without downloading additional apps, and the feature works even if the phone's battery is low, as reported by Android Police.
The digital home keys in Google Wallet are part of a broader trend of integrating digital IDs and payment methods into mobile wallets. Users can also add City Bank-issued Mastercard or Visa cards to Google Wallet for contactless payments, marking the first time Google Pay is available in Bangladesh.
While the feature is rolling out gradually, it builds on existing digital car key support available on Android phones since 2021. Users can add digital car keys to Google Wallet or Samsung Wallet, providing access to their vehicles without physical key fobs.
Google has been considering similar verification checks for payments, as indicated by a recent Google Wallet teardown. This suggests a continued push towards more secure and convenient mobile wallet features.
The Digital Agency in South Korea has scheduled the service for October 20, and Android phones have supported My Number electronic certificates since 2023, indicating a global push towards digital identity solutions.
What this adds
The digital home keys in Google Wallet are part of a broader trend towards integrating various digital IDs and payment methods into mobile wallets, making the process more seamless and convenient for users.
Users can adjust verification settings in the Google Wallet app to require screen lock or biometric authentication, adding an extra layer of security to the digital keys.
While the feature is rolling out gradually, it builds on existing digital car key support available on Android phones since 2021, indicating a continued push towards more secure and convenient mobile wallet features.
Background
Google Wallet is a digital wallet platform developed by Google. It is available for the Android, Wear OS, and Fitbit OS operating systems, and was announced on May 11, 2022, at the 2022 Google I/O keynote.
What's confirmed
- Google Wallet for Android is rolling out support for digital home keys if you have a compatible smart lock in Google Home.
- Smart locks have already made getting into homes a lot more convenient than it traditionally used to be, and Google is now making that process even more seamless by bringing digital home keys directly into Google Wallet.
What's still developing
- However, you can adjust verification settings in the Google Wallet app to require screen lock or biometric authentication.
- Today’s main development is that Google is now adding similar Samsung Wallet-like functionality to Google Wallet, bringing NFC and UWB unlocking to the mix.
- You’re already able to unlock compatible locks with Google Home, complete with one-tap unlock options that save a passcode on your phone.
- Digital ID functionality is rolling out gradually (though my state of Ohio doesn't support drivers' licenses in Wallet yet), and now, we're finally making progress on the latter front, too.
- Club Quarters isn't an especially large chain, with 15 locations in a handful of US cities including New York and Boston and a few in London, but still, an entire chain supporting hotel keys in Wallet hopefully means larger organizations will follow.
- The Android phones that offer digital car support include: Check your phone's online support documentation to confirm whether it offers Android digital car key support.
- In fact, you don't even need to go through your car's app if you have an Android digital car key.
- The Digital Agency has not published the criteria or a list of supported devices.
- In South Korea, a “Connecting Information” (CI) identifier functions… Mobile driver’s licenses are coming to Europe in 2028, according to the EU’s plan for European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets….