It seems that Google Wallet will allow you to scan your physical ID documents to save them in a new “Everything else” section. The company announced the feature in mid-May during its latest Google I/O event. Now it seems that it will arrive very soon, although its usefulness could be limited.
As spotted by Android Authority, the Google Wallet feature to convert your physical ID documents and passes into digital cards seems to be very close. It is not yet implemented in the stable app for everyone. However, the code is hidden in the latest Google Wallet app update, and those with certain knowledge can enable it.
Soon you could scan physical documents in Google Wallet and save them in “Everything Else”
The function seeks to facilitate access to all your passes and ID documents in one place. It is designed for those items that are not natively supported by the app. According to the report, it will be compatible with the following document categories: loyalty card, passport, residence permit, student ID, tax ID card, vehicle registration, voter ID card, library card, health insurance card, driver’s license, car insurance card, business cards, and others.
Once available, you can scan your documents from Google Wallet and find them easily in the “Everything else” section. After scanning a document, you can choose which category it belongs to. The app seems to limit the list of available categories according to the type of document detected. It would also automatically fill in the fields detected during the scan. However, users would be able to manually edit field data or create new ones.
Google Wallet will save the original photo of the pass or ID document in addition to the generated digital card. The app also clarifies that the saved documents are not a replacement for the originals. More specifically, the disclaimer says that “this pass was created by the device owner and may contain inaccurate information. It’s not an official ID or a replacement for the physical ID, and it can’t be used for verification.”
The digital cards will not replace your original documents
We will have to see how useful the new feature will be. After all, authorities in each country will probably still be requesting the original document IDs. Google would have to reach complicated legal agreements in each region with local authorities to change that. For now, it doesn’t seem like the company is working on it, although the option could be useful for more informal situations.
2024-07-16 15:06:41