Google releases digital wallet app for iPhones

Google is bringing its digital wallet to the iPhone in its latest attempt to upstage Apple on its own popular device.

Thursday's release of the Google Wallet app represents a challenge to the Passbook program that Apple has built into the iPhone's operating system.

Both Google Wallet and Passbook allow iPhone users to store loyalty cards from some merchants and scan coupons offering discounts.

Google Wallet also allows its users to send money and make purchases on some mobile websites by storing a debit or credit card account on the app. Payment information can also be stored in Passbook.

The arrival of Google Wallet on the iPhone comes a few days after a similar version was released to smartphones running on the Android system made by Google.