The Alipay Wallet essentially consists of the mobile Alipay app that is connected into users Alipay accounts. From the app, you can already book taxis, buy movie tickets, invest in wealth management and many perform many other functions. One of the most compelling of these is one that is in development integrating with healthcare providers in China.
This new version of the wallet offers an incredibly rich additional set of features and functionality. From the new app, which is integrated with the large government across China, users will be able to check status of visa applications and passports, obtain motor vehicle licensing information and pay for traffic violations.
Industry and government have historically been loathe to outsource technology for privacy and governance concerns, but Alibaba has been working to overcome this and with the linkages provided here, it seems like they have. Where else in the world could you access similar datasets through a technology provider?
Although the functionality itself is incredibly convenient, it is not particularly earth-shattering on its own. What is interesting though is how the back end is tied together. Alipay has only been able to accomplish this through agreements with governments and partners across China. Not only is this an indication of the company's technology prowess, but it portends bigger things. This might only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of complete 'life integration' on a platform.