By Google’s commerce blog has posted an article to help their retail and banking partners provide a better Google Wallet experience for their customers, and while much of that is of little concern to you and I they dropped a little nugget of information.
Google Wallet activity has apparently more than doubled since Google has given users the ability to use any major credit card and debit card with the service. It’s not surprising, really, but it does seem to show that more people were interested in having their credit cards tied directly to the service instead of having to go through a prepaid card element.
Google’s done away with the prepaid cards now, and it looks like things couldn’t turn out any better for them. Have any of you started using Google Wallet more since they’ve added support for more vendors?
This is a step in the right direction, despite their stepping on issuers’ toes in doing so. We’ve got a proverbial circlejerk going on vis-a-vis contactless payment (specifically NFC), and I’m glad Google finally sacked up and made a move rather than sitting idly by.
I’m still hopeful they’ll some day be able to get processing to occur at the first level rather than serving as an intermediary, but this stuff takes time…. and now probably more than many of us would like since Apple ignored NFC on the iPhone 5. Like it or not, the iPhone needs NFC for NFC interaction to gain wide acceptance in the US.
If every android device supported that would get it going as well. Kind of limited on how many devices google wallet works.
but to use google wallet you must have NFC, and not every current device has it. Or am I misinterpreting what you said?
Well all of the flagships are including it now, so hopefully things will pick up soon.
Just need to get it enabled in other countries now.
Anyone know if there is a roadmap for release in other countries?
Maybe if I had access on my Verizon siii…
Root it, Hack it on there, spend it, then wait for more official device support.
The hack is easy to get it to work. I use it all the time. I just wish more places were NFC payment ready.
If you you want to know all the locations where you can use Google wallet in in your area there’s a app in the market called paypass locator that will will point you in the right direction
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=paypass+locator&rlz=1Y1DADU_enUS500US501
Enjoy!
I know where I can use it. I just wish more places had paypass. not many do in my area.
The only reason I’ve used Google Wallet so far, is because of the free $10 Prepaid Card incentive they (used to) give everyone for activating new devices, whether supported or hack-supported. I usually still just use cold hard cash.
I had spent the $10 on my build.prop-hacked AT&T SGS3 a while ago, but since I heard the news that Google’s DISCONTINUING the prepaid card after October 17th (and stopping reactivations after Sep 17th), I decided to also finally spend the $10 on my WiFi-only Nexus7 yesterday…
Well, I got to look like a JACKASS holding up the line at Duane Reade because apparently GWallet required network access to authorize the transaction in this case (but not all cases?). Took a minute to start the mobile hotspot on my sgs3 and then tether to it from my n7, but, it worked, and I spent $9.96 on some yummy goodies.
(/Cool Story Bro :)
You don’t need network access to use google wallet.
I use my google wallet every week. I don’t think I have spent more than 10 seconds each time to unlock my phone (wallet is always started because I use it frequently), unlock google wallet, pay. Faster than the guy scanning their credit card multiple times and the cashier asking for identification.
How would you know? Your phone always has network access.
I used to have the same problem on my Verizon galaxy nexus at the McDonald’s where i used to live. Believe it or not that McDonald’s was a one of the few dead zones for verizon and it would not work until i picked up a bar.
I’m guessing it wasn’t one of the McDonald’s’ with free wifi eh?
I’m not sure what the rhyme and reason is either but I have to say that I’ve had issues too. Some are due to other issues with software and hardware but I know some issues can be tracked down to not having a data connection.
This was my experience on the GNex. When it works (which is rare because they dont have it, dont have it setup or dont know how it works) its incredibly quick.
Odd, I frequently use my Nexus 7 in places that don’t have WiFi access and I’ve not had a problem. The first time I used it I had a problem, but that was because I had not signed into Google Wallet.
PSCU a huge credit card processor has decided to partner with Google Wallet and they have a number of Credit Unions in beta test at the moment.
Link: http://www.cujournal.com/dailybriefing/13_941/pscu-and-google-to-bring-google-wallet-to-credit-unions-1015632-1.html?ET=cujournal:e3503:1806715a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CUJ_Special_Bulletin_091312
I’ve started using it a lot more! I now can finally have all my cards in one place! Awesome :-)
I’ve used where I can. It saved me last night at Home Depot. I had my phone but not my wallet and didn’t have to run home thanks to Google Wallet. Tried at Circle K today and the guy said the nfc doesn’t work there due to scams and such. A little disappointed. I wish more places accepted it.
This app saved my life, lost my debt card last week and I’ve been using Google wallet since we just need more vendors using this technology
This is the reason i was hoping the iPhone would have a NFC payment system. If the iPhone had it alot of stores would see it as common place and install the terminals.
Yeah I was hoping this as well. Hopefully the 5S will have it next year.
The carriers want NFC. If Apple is the odd one out then they will push the android phones with NFC. They may want isis instead of G Wallet but even that can’t go anywhere unless Android goes with it.
This is good news….Now if only i can get it on my GS3 Verizon unrooted
I’m looking into importing a Note 2 from Europe, so hopefully it works on that since it’s not a phone from the States (they tend to cripple that here).
So that is like 4 people now using it?
Yeah well I use it everyday pretty much on my GS3 and it is a good thing to have if you don’t want to carry credit cards around or you leave them home. For Apple to not include this in the iPhone 5 is nothing but greed. They will probably include this on the next iPhone so they can get more money on the come back. Ridiculous!!!!
No, not really.
When it’s in my phone I will, but bringing a tablet to go shopping is cumbersome.
I use it a LOT more but that might come from the fact that it was broken on my Nexus before (I couldn’t add my Citi Card) and the update fixed it. Being said, a LOT more is like twice in one weekend because there still arent very many pay pass stations.