Google has released an official Google Wallet app for the iPhone this morning, bringing its popular mobile payment service to Apple’s platform for the first time. The app includes several features, but it doesn’t have all of the capabilities of its Android counterpart.
For example, you can’t make in-store payments with the app—which isn’t surprising, considering the feature is limited to only a handful of NFC-enabled Android devices. But it’s worth noting. You can send money to other people, though, and utilize Google Offers…
Here are some of the app’s more notable features:
- Send money to any friend in the US with an email address.
- Easily add all of your loyalty cards, offers, and more to Google Wallet and redeem in stores.
- Your PIN keeps Google Wallet more secure, and if you lose your phone you can remotely disable the app at wallet.google.com/manage.
- The Google Wallet app uses your location to show you nearby offers and more. If you would like to turn this feature off, please go to your device’s Privacy settings and turn off Location Services.
And here’s a screenshot of a few of them in action:
Additionally, the app will allow US-based users to scan in their debit and credit cards, which can be used for sending people money and making purchases online. And don’t worry, Google Wallet comes with 24/7 fraud monitoring and Wallet Purchase Protection.
Google Wallet has been around for 2 years now, and unfortunately it’s still irrelevant for the most part. Most US carriers have dropped support for it in favor of their joint-venture Isis. If you’d like to play with the new app though, you can find it in the App Store for free.