By While Google has made nice progress with Google Wallet since announcing it last year, it’s no secret that rate of adoption could be better – a lot better, in fact. As many feared, NFC and mobile payments is too primitive a technology right now.
While the required components are available in consumer-ready phones, the very small club of participants – including retailers and carriers – is making it difficult to drum up any interest. According to new reports, Google may have an idea to change that.
They’re reportedly considering an idea to share revenue they make from coupons and special offers with carriers. They had no problem bringing Sprint on board, but AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile are all in the ISIS basket, and many other carriers worldwide aren’t even an option at this point.
It makes sense for Google to start by swooning carriers – the more of them they get on-board, the more merchants will want to support the service due to an increased pool of potential users. Of course, this is hardly a “chicken before the egg” scenario.
Focusing on getting more and bigger merchants first could give users incentive to try Google Wallet, which would then make it easier for carriers to come around. I’m no marketing guru or anything, but it could work just as well. The good news is that they’re doing something, though, if this story turns out to be true.
If all I had to carry around with me was my phone, that would be perfect. I want my phone to pay for things, unlock my car and house, be my turn by turn GPS, and mow my lawn. ;) Ok, that last one was a joke.
Well then you best not lose, or drop your phone in the future.
using my phone to make a purchase is pain in the butt. pull out phone, unlock, tap, enter pin, tap, and hit sent.
using my card to make a purchase is pain in the butt. pull out card, swipe, tap debit/credit, enter pin/zip, sign, and hit enter.
wow that suck to be you since i just need to swipe my credit card and that’s it.
my job accepts it but half the terminals do not work. if more people were using it im sure they would make sure it works. i also experience this problem all over the place.
and where is my $5 google
Haha, I got my $5 from Google and also got an extra 10 when I put Wallet on a used Nexus S I bought. Thanks for the $25 Google!
I think it would be a good idea I got a Nexus S4G & used Google Wallet a few times there a lot of places where I live in Massachusetts that have pay pass like CVS, Mac Donald’s Hess Gas station Verizon & At&t need to get on board
Bottom line is, Google needs to not be like Apple. Be less greedy.
your comment makes no sense. you mean more greedy if your comparing to apple
sorry i got all dyslexic while reading your post your right
you are wrong, Google and all those manufacturers need a better marketing plan. what’s the point of doing business if you doesnt want to maximize the profit?
I find it frustrating to keep reading articles about how the folks providing NFC payments are a little dissappointed with the low adoption figures. Google Wallet, like so many Google offerings, are not available globally, and is not available in the UK. I had a Nexus S with NFC capability but no opportunity to use it, I wonder if I will ever get to use my Galaxy Nexus before I upgrade. I’ve had an NFC debit card for a while, but the few retailers with appropriate terminals have staff which have little knowledge of NFC, and don’t care when they break. If Google Wallet was released in the UK tomorrow, I would download it immediately and start using it wherever I could. As soon as O2 UK release their forthcoming O2 Money app with rumoured NFC capability, I will start using it. I can’t believe they will have beaten Google to it, despite having a few YEARS headstart. So come on providers, stop scratching your heads and start making all these apps available to the global masses if you want global adoption.
The problem with terminals not being fixed when they stop working is one we have in the US too.
I think a big part of making this more widespread would be to first make sure all existing PayPass terminals actually work. If you go to enough places, try Google wallet, and aren’t sure if its not working because of your phone or the terminal, eventually you’ll just go back to using your card (I’m getting to that point myself).
But with a 3 of the carriers in the US and a couple of major banks already behind Isis, it looks like Google might be too late for Wallet. But hopefully more ways to pay with NFC will get the stores to install and maintain their terminals.
Exactly if this was launched in Australia I’d be using it tomorrow. Quite often I have my phone but not my wallet.. for some reason I NEVER lose my phone (funny that I never lose my $500 phone right..) but I’m always misplacing my wallet – or I have my wallet but not my card. Sure I find it eventually but it’s still a pain in the arse. I’d say 25% of the places I shop have NFC capability already.
My own workplace of 500+ sites has old piece of shit terminals that are probably 7 – 10 years old, never connect properly and are so slow it does have some effect on the throughput of the business (where things are supposed to be FAST). Their terminals are out for tender at the moment and it will completely change the business (no shit).
Verizon may not be all for it but I still got it on my Gnex. I think it’ll hit main stream sooner or later. I take plenty care of my phone to where I can use it for all these features and still be secure. Hopefully it’ll catch on but for now I’m happy with the use.
they need to add visa already i stopped using it i got tired of constantly adding money to it
Google needs to own this market wtf happened? Where is the huge adoption rate. Android his more users then um that fruit company. Why hasn’t it taken off . Google get your sh!t together
It hasn’t taken off because practically none of the phones have NFC and very few of those actually come with Wallet. Let alone the aforementioned fact that a lot of retailers don’t have PayPass or the terminal doesn’t work.
Even better than partnering/sharing with carriers? Allowing it on my ICS loaded, unlocked Tmobile Nexus S.
Google has been unable to make much progress with its wallet for two reasons. The first one – the shortage of compatible devices – is about to be resolved, as all major smart phone manufacturers will be releasing NFC-supporting phones by the end of the year. The other reason – the carriers’ resistance (after all, they have their own wallet coming out soon), will be much more difficult to resolve. However, if persuasion doesn’t work, Google can simply sidestep the unruly telecoms. For a closer analysis: http://blog.unibulmerchantservices.com/google-wallets-survival-strategy-bribe-the-carriers-or-sidestep-them.