Which option for Galaxy smartphone owners?
Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet are very similar in terms of functionality. Which is the most interesting? For what type of user? We tell you everything.
When NFC began to take over our smartphones, manufacturers and developers quickly realized the interest in mobile payment. Later, services such as Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay appeared. These services have since evolved into digital wallets, Pursevery complete, it serves to store important documents and, of course, to make contactless payments through virtual credit cards.
What is Google Wallet?
Google is present in almost all technology markets. Launching in July 2022, Google Wallet is technically just an extension of the service known as Google Pay, which is itself being rebranded as Android Pay in most markets. In the US and Singapore, Google Pay is still available alongside Google Wallet as a standalone app. Google Wallet now serves as a payment system and digital wallet in all other countries.
Google Wallet features include everything you can imagine from a digital wallet. Of course, payment and storage of cards, but also the ability to store transport tickets, events, IDs, permits and loyalty cards. If you have a smartphone with an NFC chip, all you need to do to pay with Google Wallet is to select the correct payment method during checkout and bring your smartphone close to it.
What is Samsung Wallet?
Samsung Wallet was launched in June 2022 as a combination of Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass. While the Wallet was limited to only six countries at the time of its launch, its reach has expanded significantly since then.
Samsung Wallet data is stored in Samsung’s Knox environment, which centralizes encrypted data in non-volatile storage and protects against malware and other malicious attacks. Samsung Wallet is only available on Galaxy devices running Android 9 or later up to the Samsung Galaxy S8. Some entry-level devices are not eligible because they lack the necessary hardware components. The most limiting factor ultimately remains the pace: to date, Samsung Wallet is only available in 21 countries. Like Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet supports loyalty cards, transportation cards, car keys, health data, and more. can keep
Samsung Wallet offers niche features
In terms of functionality, Samsung Wallet combines a crypto wallet compatible with Coinbase and Gemini exchanges. It can store Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. And Google Wallet works better with transportation maps thanks to its integration with Google Maps. While both apps can manage digital car keys from partner brands, Samsung Wallet can also support digital home keys for SmartThings-connected locks.
Another reason why you should prefer Google Wallet over Samsung Wallet is the smartwatch integration. While contactless payment via Google Wallet works with any NFC-enabled smartwatch running WearOS 2.0 or later, Samsung Wallet is only supported on the Galaxy Watch. Both Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet offer two-factor authentication and biometrics as a security measure, but the storage procedure is different. Google stores securely in the cloud for syncing, while Samsung stores locally on each device, making it difficult to switch devices.
The Google ecosystem is winning
The main advantage of Google Wallet remains its integration with your Google account, especially for Chrome users. Once connected to the Chrome browser, the latter can access and use your Wallet data to facilitate payment procedures. Many sites support Google Pay, and even if they don’t, Google Chrome can use the card information stored in your Google Wallet and automatically fill out the form to save you time. It also facilitates data protection and recovery in case of device theft or loss. However, Samsung Galaxy users with a Samsung account can do the same.
While many merchants accept Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay (like Google Pay), these integrations are less common and only available on mobile devices. If you have cards stored in your Samsung Wallet, your password manager is Samsung Pass or Samsung Wallet, the information can be automatically filled on mobile sites. Your preferred ecosystem will be the most important factor in deciding between Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet. If you have a Samsung SmartThings smart lock, want to avoid cloud storage, or need cryptocurrency support, these are the best reasons to go with Samsung’s solution.
