Google Wallet is adding a new one to “automatically add linked passes,” and recently it introduced transit payment verification settings.
Google Wallet on Android devices has new settings under its ‘Passes’ section named “Automatically add linked passes,” which is now turned on by default. The application and services users use can automatically add things, for instance, tickets, coupons, and loyalty offers to users’ Google Wallet passes, but only when they are connected to those services.
Jumping on the “Learn More” link takes the user to a Google Support article that is not live yet. However, there is developer documentation from Google about Auto Linked Passes, which permits the provider to “send additional passes to a user who already has your existing pass in their Google Wallet. You can also pre-link passes to the primary pass when a user saves the primary (main) pass.”
Regarding this, Google stated that “an auto-linked pass is grouped with the primary pass, with a callout above the primary pass informing the user that a new pass has been linked.”
This is supported by the multiple pass types, which are as follows:
- Event, Boarding, Transit, Offer, Gift Card, Loyalty, and Generic.
Example use cases include the link of an offer to an existing loyalty card, a link to a meal voucher to a boarding pass or event ticket, and a link to a parking pass to an event ticket.
It is expected that this will not be abused or used to clutter the pass list with unnecessary promotions and offers; however, the option to disable the auto-behavior is appreciated. This new change appears with version 24.10.x of Google Wallet, and it is expected that soon it will be rolled out more widely than Verification Settings.
