Android Devices Could Soon Have Boarding Pass Detected on Google Chrome

Highlights

• Chrome Canary introduces Boarding Pass Detector to streamline travel in Google Wallet.

• Feature discovered by AssembleDebug, accessible via Chrome Flags in Canary version.

• Detector scans for airline URLs and boarding pass information on open tabs.

• Potential capabilities include automatic addition and detailed pass information.

Google has recently introduced a Boarding Pass Detector in the Chrome Canary app.

This feature, still in its developmental phase, is quite frankly the next evolution for enhancing the utility of Google Wallet on Android devices.

First some background. Chrome Canary is primarily a playground for developers and a pre-beta version of Chrome.

The Boarding Pass Detector was identified first by AssembleDebug and reported by Android Police.

Just like Apple’s Testflight, Chrome Flags is a tool for both developers and general users that allows the exploration of new functionalities before they become mainstream.

The specific flag in question, found in Chrome Canary version 121.0.6145.0, remains inaccessible in the standard Chrome app on Android.

However, users interested in exploring this feature can locate it by searching “Boarding Pass Detector” on the Chrome Flags page within Chrome Canary.

Direct access is also available by inputting chrome://flags#boarding-pass-detector in the URL bar of Chrome Canary.

The Boarding Pass Detector may offer a couple of benefits, aside from its obvious one for detecting your pass.

It may offer automatic or manual options for adding boarding passes to Google Wallet.

Besides the primary function of handling boarding passes, it could also provide access to supplementary information like departure times or gate numbers.

The GApps Flags & Leaks group has shed light on the underlying mechanism of this feature.

It works by scanning open tabs in Chrome Canary to identify URLs of airlines recognized by Google.

Upon detecting a boarding pass, it could theoretically interact with various elements such as QR codes and barcodes, though its full scope remains to be seen.

FAQs

What is the Chrome Boarding Pass Detector?

The Chrome Boarding Pass Detector is an experimental feature in Chrome Canary, a pre-beta version of Google Chrome. It’s designed to detect boarding pass information from open tabs, potentially allowing users to add them directly to Google Wallet on Android devices.

How can I access the Boarding Pass Detector in Chrome?

To access the Boarding Pass Detector, you’ll need to use Chrome Canary, version 121.0.6145.0 or later. Within Chrome Canary, search for “Boarding Pass Detector” on the Chrome Flags page or directly navigate to it using chrome://flags#boarding-pass-detector in the URL bar.

What functionalities does the Boarding Pass Detector offer?

While still in development, the Boarding Pass Detector is expected to automatically scan and detect boarding pass information on airline websites. It could facilitate adding boarding passes to Google Wallet and provide additional travel details like departure times or gate information.