Google: Verizon asked us not to include this functionality in the product; Why Big Red is Taking Unfair Criticism Over Google Wallet’s Absence
In case you needed any extra confirmation that Google Wallet would not be included in the Galaxy Nexus, look no further than official word from Google, who stated that Verizon asked them not to include the software:
Verizon asked us not to include this functionality in the product.
Much of the Android world were up in arms about this, though you had to expect it to come. With ISIS, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T are all looking to get their hands into the mobile payments game, with Sprint left as the only US carrier in bed with Google.
The ISIS agreements were put into place before any of these carriers probably knew future Nexus devices would be receiving NFC chips and that those NFC chips would be used for Google’s own payment service.
If you don’t remember, both T-Mobile and AT&T were without Google Wallet on the Nexus S due to their agreements with ISIS, Sprint’s version being the only one with support. I assume T-Mobile and AT&T will also be skipping out on Google Wallet for their Galaxy Nexus just as they did with their versions of the Nexus S.
While I don’t like it that anyone is doing it, it’s not fair to come down on just one carrier, especially when their hand may be forced in the agreement. We might never know the details of that agreement but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that ISIS can not coexist with other mobile payment solutions (not in a technical sense but purely in a competitive sense).
As Chris suggested yesterday, all American Nexus S models not on Sprint unofficially received Google Wallet through community development and you can probably expect the same to happen with the Galaxy Nexus. We wish things were different, but that’s the way it’s going to play out. Just don’t bring out the pitchforks before you know the full story. [via Android Central]