Google Now Includes Apple Touch ID Support in Google Wallet

[dgstorm]

Even though there probably aren't too many people out there who use Google Wallet with their iPhone, Google still likes to be forward-thinking with their app development. The case-in-point for today is that Google just added support for Apple's Touch ID sensor to their Google Wallet app.

In iOS 8, Apple opened up third-party support for their Touch ID sensor built into the Home button on the iPhone. Google apparently didn't want to leave any of their Google Wallet customers who switched to an iPhone out in the cold when they want to use that app. This way, you can now sign in to your Google Wallet app using the Fingerprint Sensor on your iPhone.

Of course, there are a few things that this update won't do as well additional features as well. Here's a quote,

Even though users can now sign into their Google Wallet app using their fingerprints, the app can’t make use of the NFC secure element in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to initiate wireless payments in stores, like Apple Pay does.

Google Wallet for iOS has also received a split bills between friends feature, and offers users access to gift cards and credit cards even when the device doesn’t have Internet access.

Source: iTunes

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Ok. I can accept this.

When I first read the headline, I thought it was saying that Google baked Apple pay into Wallet. I was almost irate. Good thing I clicked through and read the story.

Too bad so many of them are sheep. Would be really funny if Wallet overtook Apple's system on ios.

 

[pc747]

What Google is doing is smart thinking on their part. Despite Apple being their competitor they go out their way to bring google software to ios. This is both free advertisement and when iPhone users pick up a galaxy or other Google device they have software that they are familiar with that will still work with their iPads (if they have one). Apple making their software mostly exclusive to iOs and Mac (I know you can download iTunes for PC) they missed out on an opportunity. When I first converted to android doing the Droid days I was begging for iTunes along with many (Itunes like App for Droid Android Forum at DroidForums.net ) Yet Apple kept their noses in the air and lost out on potential customers and money. Meanwhile people kept trying to solve how to provide an itunes like experience for android and Google solved it with what I would argue is the better of the two.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

What Google is doing is smart thinking on their part. Despite Apple being their competitor they go out their way to bring google software to ios. This is both free advertisement and when iPhone users pick up a galaxy or other Google device they have software that they are familiar with that will still work with their iPads (if they have one). Apple making their software mostly exclusive to iOs and Mac (I know you can download iTunes for PC) they missed out on an opportunity. When I first converted to android doing the Droid days I was begging for iTunes along with many (Itunes like App for Droid Android Forum at DroidForums.net ) Yet Apple kept their noses in the air and lost out on potential customers and money. Meanwhile people kept trying to solve how to provide an itunes like experience for android and Google solved it with what I would argue is the better of the two.

Totally. I never liked the iTunes experience on PC and that was the nail in the coffin for me. I snagged all my music from them, dragged and dropped it onto my phone (before I found doubletwist) and never looked back. Sucks for my ipod classic, but I wasn't really using it and it already had all the tunes on it at the time.

I definitely agree that Google's option is better for me.