Google has taken a significant step in the international rollout of its Google Wallet product, which made landfall in India this week.
The digital wallet is available via Android, Fitbit and Wear OS platforms, although in India it will initially be available only on Android. It is fast becoming Google’s flagship payments product, taking over from Google Pay.
Wallet has been increasing in popularity in key markets such as the US, where demand for it has overtaken Google Pay. Google Pay is also active in India, where a similar trend could be likely.
Home to the world’s largest population, fifth largest economy in terms of GDP and a substantial and diverse business and finance sector, India is a key market for Google’s payments products.
A statement on a Google blog read: “Android has put the power of computing into the hands of billions of people around the world, and we’re dedicated to continuously making the Android experience more connected and seamless.
“Be it new ways to search anything on your phone without switching apps or helping you reimagine your cherished moments, the Android ecosystem is designed to empower you to get more done. And starting today, Google Wallet will be available to Android users in India to help further streamline your life.
“As services become increasingly digitized, most of us now rely on our phones for quick access to our everyday essentials. While the Google Pay app remains your destination for all things payments, Google Wallet now brings a new level of convenience to the Android experience in India.”
Launch in India takes Google Wallet into its 79th market. The product is active in the whole of North America and Western Europe, most of South America and Australia. Its presence in Asia is predominantly focused in Southeast Asia, and so the expansion into the continent’s second-largest economy marks a significant moment.
Indicative of its increasing value to Google, as well as the tech giant’s ambitions to streamline its payments offerings, Google Pay is winding down in the US. The firm will instead focus on Google Wallet as its primary payments asset in its founding market – this could be seen in other countries further down the line.
