Google Wallet is detailing upcoming changes for the app this week. Both listed as “coming soon,” Seattle and nearby residents will be excited to learn that ORCA transit card support is coming to Wallet, and in addition, enhanced ride history, savings insights, and service updates are coming to select UK areas (with more on the way).
For my Seattle people, with ORCA support, you can add your ORCA card directly into Google Wallet and use it when necessary. And as shown above in the header image, yes, that means you can use your Pixel Watch for transit access, too.
The other big news is sadly only available for Brighton and Hove Buses in the UK to start, but when and if it eventually rolls out to the US, Google Wallet will be able to share a user’s ride history, how much they’ve saved from time-based fare caps, and send real-time schedule updates directly to riders from their selected transit agency.
Google intends to send this feature out to more cities next year. We’ll keep you posted.