Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is rolling out Nearby Pass, which shows a notification when you’re near a transit station or event venue.
- The notification lets you access the pass directly without having to screen for the right card.
- Google is also expanding support for multiple similar cards through the same app.
Google Wallet is much more than a payments app. It lets you neatly organize multiple different payments and membership cards, transit passes, event tickets, and much more. With a recent update, Google Wallet is gaining additional features to enhance your experience.
For starters, Google is rolling out Nearby Pass geofence notifications in Wallet, first announced at Google I/O 2025. This feature notifies users when they’re close to any location where one of their passes stored in Google Wallet could come in handy. For instance, these could be loyalty cards or vouchers for a retail store, a transit pass for the subway, the entry ticket to a concert, or something else.
When you’re closer to the venue or a transit station, a notification will show up on your phone. Tapping it should let you access the card or pass directly without having to sweep through the entire collection.
In addition, Google says that nicknames are now rolling for passes. This feature lets you set a custom name for passes, making them easier to spot. Interestingly, Google first announced nicknames for passes back in April, but specifically for the mobile app. The latest Wallet update now extends it to the Google Wallet website, too.
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In addition to these user features, Google Wallet has some updates to share with developers. The update allows multiple cards or passes with the same Application ID (AID) to be stored in a single Wallet.
This update applies to NFC access cards, such as college IDs, hotel keys, or corporate passes, etc., and users can now save multiple such passes. It can be helpful for admins or hotel managers who must access various zones with different card stores on a single phone. While using Google Wallet, the last used card for the specific purpose will show up first for the user.
Google also reiterated that developers can utilize email integration, where passes from Gmail can automatically be uploaded to the Wallet. This applies to boarding passes, event tickets, and other loyalty cards.
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