Google on Wednesday launched its digital pockets in India with native integrations, practically two years after the app was relaunched as a digital pockets platform within the U.S.
As TechCrunch solely reported final month, Google Pockets will function in India alongside the present Google Pay app, which is able to stay the corporate’s funds app within the nation. Google had changed its Pay app with Pockets within the U.S. in February.
“Google Pay isn’t going anyplace. Google Pay is our major funds use case,” Ram Papatla, basic supervisor and India engineering lead for Android at Google, mentioned at a press convention in New Delhi. “Pockets is particularly tailor-made for fascinated by the non-payment use circumstances.”
Google Pockets will let Android customers in India retailer and entry their boarding passes, present playing cards, occasion tickets, and loyalty passes. You possibly can add all of this by means of a QR code, barcode or hyperlink shared by means of Gmail, or by utilizing a devoted Add to Google Pockets button out there on companion apps.
The app may even retailer transit tickets and allow you to create passes from any photographs containing a barcode or QR code, comparable to airline boarding passes, baggage tags or parking receipts.
Initially, Google Pockets will work with 20 manufacturers, together with PVR Inox, Flipkart, Air India, MakeMyTrip, Pine Labs and Ixigo. It has additionally onboarded native transport operators comparable to Kochi Metro, Hyderabad Metro, VRL Travels and Abhibus. Moreover, the corporate has partnered with system integrators Wavelynx and Alert Enterprise to let customers retailer and entry their company badges.
Android continues to dominate the smartphone market in India, with a 93% market share, per newest Counterpoint knowledge shared with TechCrunch. In 2023, out of the 152 million smartphones shipped within the nation, 140 million ran Android. Smartphone penetration charge for the yr was 70%, up from 66% in 2021, the market analysis agency mentioned.
All this provides Google a stable cause to launch Pockets in India. Nonetheless, it could face competitors from Samsung Pockets, which the South Korean firm gives as a one-stop digital pockets and funds app. Apple additionally has its Pockets app for iPhone customers within the nation, although that app doesn’t have many native integrations. Immediate messaging app WhatsApp additionally gives the power to get digital boarding passes and transit tickets from platforms like MakeMyTrip and state metro prepare operators.
