Google to Turn Mobile Phones Into Wallets thanks to Near Field Communications (NFC)
The latest launch from the search giant aims to use a mobile phone to pay for everyday purchases, and heralds a new age for telecommunications.Earlier this month it was announced that Google had launched Google Wallet, their very own mobile payment system that enables the user to pay for goods and services using their mobile phone . Currently being advertised as a new payment method to rival credit and debit cards, Google Wallet has been successfully trialled in New York and San Francisco since May this year, and could open up a whole new world to mobile phone users, say cheap call provider Just Call.
Google Wallet is obviously a huge step forward for mobile phones, as until recently they could obviously only be used for the purposes of communication, such as by making phone calls and sending text and emails. However, the advent of Google Wallet means that users will soon be able to pay using their mobile phones, thanks to Near Field Communications (NFC) which means that when a special chip inside the phone is tapped against a reader at a till it will pay the amount, which is just extraordinary.”
While Google Wallet is to be marketed in the US only, the pre-paid Google Wallet card will be able to work internationally from the launch, and it can also be used at any of the 300,000 retailers in the US and elsewhere that accept MasterCard PayPass. But while the launch of this product has been limited to the US, Just Call are confident that this new technology will catch on and become a new method of payment around the world.
The spokesperson for Just Call said: “While Google Wallet has only been launched in the US so far, it would seem that the trials in New York and San Fransisco, where around 1000 Google, Mastercard, and Macy's employees used this payment method, were very successful. At present, Google Wallet can be downloaded as an app from a phone network in the US, and will work on a Nexus S phone, which runs on Google's Android system.
However, we believe that in a few years this type of technology will be used all over the world, and change the mobile phone industry as we know it, so as well as being able to make international calls to anywhere in the world, users will be able to pay for purchases too, which is a really exciting prospect.”
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
