As part of its Area 120 experiment, Google may launch the ‘Orion’ app to help users pay for WiFi. As reported by 9to5 this should help users gain WiFi access whilst on the go and out in public.
Google’s Area 120 has been responsible for a number of projects over the last few years. Notably an app with beginning code lessons launched in 2018. More recently it has launched an app named ‘Keen‘. This was designed to help users curate and collaborate over their interests.
Orion to help with public WiFi access
One way or another we pay for public WiFi access when we use it. Be that in the form of buying a coffee or sharing your email address you offer something in return for that access. Sometimes you directly pay money for the access as well.
A new trademark filing reveals that Google is looking to launch an app to help with this process. The idea is that the app ‘Orion’ will use microtransactions to buy access to certain networks.
The filing states that Orion can be used for downloadable software for mobile devices for various things. These include financial microtransactions, software used “processing of financial microtransactions to purchase access to Wi-Fi and cellular networks”.
It also includes downloadable software for mobile devices for managing roaming on Wi-Fi and cellular networks”. The idea is that this app will give you access to certain networks by using microtransactions.
Details still thin on the ground regarding Orion
Naturally, a lot of this is speculation and inference from a typically vague trademark filing. Reports suggest Google is looking to use the Orion app to streamline WiFi access through simple and easy transactions.
There may well be more to this or something the reports have missed. Since Google is yet to make any public comment on the project everything we know is speculation.
Diggers have found a future landing page for Orion once it launches. However, right now it brings up a Wix Error Page. This app looks like it will be more useful once the world gets moving again and we are using services away from our homes more often.
The project comes from Google’s Area 120 department. This is the “incubator” of experimental apps and projects. Generally, these projects tend to get rolled out into existing Google products.
Whether this is the case with this project remains to be seen. Right now all we can do is wait for some more information to be drip-fed, or for Google to make some sort of public announcement. There is little sign of the latter in the near future so it could be some time before we know more about ‘Orion’.