Four years ago I asked whether "Google Pass" was a thing that I needed to give a shit about and consensus was, "no, nobody uses that."
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So it's a little clunky with too many steps and has some room for human error or people to miss a prompt and have the file left in an oubliette containing all their randomly downloaded files. But it works.
I'm not sure whether or how the process would differ when using a Mastodon client, the Chrome for Android browser, another version of Android OS, etc.
@DaveMWilburn @jwz If you haven't used Wallet in a while, it gives you every option. Second time in is better. Bonus: you can use your Android watch!!
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@jwz@mastodon.social It offers to download a file with .pkpass extension. Opened in a hex viewer it reveals itself as a PNG file. Opened with KDEiternary it reveals itself as a DNA lounge ticket. Once imported it tells me that i need to travel to the USA and consumer protection laws of the EU are not honored there. It displays four emojis (microohone. Guitar,...) the Text DNA lounge ticket and a QR code valid vor 26th April 2026, 19:00 GMT -7. I think the UX is as good as a pkpass can be.
@Life_is It is most assuredly not a PNG file.
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@jwz it:
1. asks if I want to download a file
2. downloads a file with a .pkpass extension
3. asks if I want to open the file
4. opens the file in Google Wallet and asks if I was to add
5. asks if I want to add a ticket to Powerman 5000 at DNA loungeDitto download and offer to open on an Android 16 Pixel. In all of Firefox, DDG, Firefox Focus browsers.
I didn't add the ticket to my wallet.
Notably, it was recognized as a ticket without having to put it in an email message attachment to trigger processing (the usual workaround).
Avoiding needing the attachment workaround is what I would consider a usable "add ticket to wallet" process.
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
A story in 4 pics. This was as far as I was willing to go without knowing exactly what that file does. (And I only downloaded it because you have earned that trust.)
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz works fine for me i.e. Firefox Mobile downloads and offers to open it. Then it's imported correctly into Google Wallet, no fuss. Android 16 on a Pixel 7 Pro. I do wish it was an actual ticket tbh
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz I get the usual download thing. Hitting "open" opens it in the FossWallet app and I get a nice looking ticket - see screenshot. N.b. this is Grapheneos and partly de-googled, I got FossWallet from the f-droid app store. I've used it on the past for an openstreetmap meet and a trip to an art gallery
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
FYI, this is what it looks like on iOS. No intervening clicks needed besides "Add".
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@tibi2 Does that wallet app display *all* dates in GMT or is that where you are?
@jwz I'm in GMT+1. this is a bit weird. a different app called catima shows this at 4:00 and Google wallet shows at 3:00. what the fuck?
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@Life_is It is most assuredly not a PNG file.
@jwz@mastodon.social it has a "IHDR", Adobe ICC metadata and is about 67KB. all typical for PNG. -
If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz@mastodon.social GrapheneOS here. Opens a file download for
test.pkpass, which is a misnamed (and thus exactly nothing happens with it unless I rename it) zip file containing some png's and json's. shrug -
If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz Using Firefox on Android 12, it asks for downloading the file. After doing so and clicking on the "Open" toast notification, I'm asked to choose between a bunch of apps. I've selected the "Google" app and got a pip-up asking me to install "Google Play Services for AR". I didn't go any further.
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@jwz I'm in GMT+1. this is a bit weird. a different app called catima shows this at 4:00 and Google wallet shows at 3:00. what the fuck?
@tibi2 Ha!
jq .relevantDate < pass.json => "2026-04-27T02:00Z"
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
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@jwz@mastodon.social it has a "IHDR", Adobe ICC metadata and is about 67KB. all typical for PNG.
@Life_is Once again, I assure you it is not a PNG.
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If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz
Since I disabled to directly opening apps from links it went: Firefox - download - open - open in wallet - shows up with information about event, price, and a QR code.All good.
This is how it always works for me.This is on Pixel 9a with Android 16 and everything updated.
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FYI, this is what it looks like on iOS. No intervening clicks needed besides "Add".
@jwz it showed it as a download then opened this flow, possibly a couple of other add/continue screens in between.
I didn't accept the long t&c page and it still seemed to work, though I may be blind now since it ramps the brightness to full on the ticket screen.
Will add version later if I remember but need to charge and walk the dog. Samsung Galaxy S8 though so prehistoric hardware.
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FYI, this is what it looks like on iOS. No intervening clicks needed besides "Add".
@jwz Downloaded as a standard file. Added to Google Wallet, don't typically use Wallet for passes so had a wallet of TOS including "can our AI look at this?" and after a few clicks through got this:
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FYI, this is what it looks like on iOS. No intervening clicks needed besides "Add".
@jwz Duck Duck Go on a Pixel suggested I download it, but I have my setup pretty well locked down.
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@tibi2 Ha!
jq .relevantDate < pass.json => "2026-04-27T02:00Z"
@jwz damn so Google is the only correct one. well good to know I can't rely on any of the foss apps!
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@talexb Did you try opening the file? Did that do anything?
