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Google Wallet tap-to-pay willl soon only support devices running Android 4.4 KitKat

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For most of you that actually enjoyed using your smartphone to make purchases at merchants like 7-Eleven or Jack in the Box, judgement day is approaching. According to emails being sent out — as well as Google’s newly updated Wallet support page — Google will soon kill Wallet’s tap-to-pay feature on Android devices running anything below Android 4.4 KitKat. It’s an exclusive club, one that, according to Google’s recent stats, only about 2.5% of active Android users belong to.

Even worse is there the chance that tap-to-pay will still end for you even if you’re running KitKat. Google listed off a few devices on their support page that will no longer have tap-to-pay functionality, regardless of the firmware they’re running. Those devices include the HTC EVO 4G LTE, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and the Nexus 7 (2012). Ouch.

Tap-to-pay will officially be cancelled for pre-KitKat devices starting this April 14th, 2014.

[Google Wallet Support]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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17 Comments

  1. I believe they are being stonewalled since the creation of tap to pay….Tap to pay use to work on my Sprint Galaxy Nexus up till 1yr ago….now this makes sense. either that or my NFC chip burned out on me.

  2. What the hell, Google?

  3. I used to use it all the time but the novelty rubbed off after a while. Especially since I got a phone case with a slot to slide my credit card into.

  4. Well since I received my Google Wallet Mastercard I almost never used my phone to pay directly anymore, on the other hand I’m also using google wallet much more often.
    so who cares…. ;)

  5. I’m wondering if they’re shutting it down on the devices that still use the secure element? :-

    I know the 2012 N7 has a secure element, and it’s on the kill-list?
    I haven’t checked into any of the other devices, but maybe that’s the reason they’re killing it on those devices? :-

  6. Still not sure why tap to pay won’t work with my T-Mobile G2. I even got the non ISIS sim card.

  7. Why the galaxy note 3 -___-

    1. Good question, it’s brand new hardware.

      1. Plus it’s running kit kat 4.4.2 at least my note 3 via tmobile

  8. That sux ass…but I see that the API level for Kit-Kat may have to do with increase security.. oh well I guess I will be using my Google wallet card…

  9. I have a nexus 5 so I ain’t got no worries (in my Lil Wayne voice)

    1. I got 99 problems but KitKat ain’t one (in my JayZ voice)

  10. Is thattt righttt?

  11. Wth why is the note 3 being kicked off. That’s bull

  12. Google is the Ishh.

  13. I don’t think I’ve ever used google wallet for tap to pay. I live in japan so they have had tap to pay services probably for a decade or more (but not via google wallet). It’s very convenient, train fare, any convenience stores, some grocery stores and even some mcdonalds have the option to pay from your phone, it’s nice because I don’t have the app connected to a credit card, I just charge with cash at a convenience store.

  14. And of those 2.5% of devices, how many are inside North America, the only place Google Wallet actually works? We’re left out in the cold here in the UK :-/

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