Android 15 is now adding the ability to set a default wallet app. So on Pixels, you can change from Google Wallet to a third-party app.
Does that mean you can use third party (dare I say FOSS) apps for NFC payments?
There are not, and probably will never be, as they require proprietary blobs (e.g. see this issue in Catima)
Hopefully it’ll mean you can just have your bank’s app installed to handle it so you won’t have any third parties gleaming a look into your purchase history.
Banks were able to create their own NFC payment app, which can be set as default payment provider.
I’m not sure what else Google Wallet is able to do, but I guess this might be about being able to have a default wallet with tickets for events and similar.
Hopefully there’ll really be open-source wallets. With banking/nfc pay this isn’t possible for service ands security reasons.
Could you not already do that? My previous bank had their own nfc payments bullshit, but I’ve always been able to set that as my default.
Good. I’ve only had bad experience with Wallet. Tried to use it, added a card. Some time later I tried opening it and it was constantly crashing. It was like that for few weeks. I’ve tried upgrading, downgrading - the same. This is supposed to be a critical app. I’ve uninstalled and I’m never going to try it again.
Cool. Google wallet has always worked out good for me though
It does work fine, but it’s yet another avenue of data collection for them and another reduction of choice by a monopoly.
Do you think we will see alternative wallet apps pop up from Cashapp or PayPal or even directly from bank apps? Also, would they be able to support the other non-payment functions of electronic wallets with transportation/event tickets and such?
