Google Wallet not Included in Galaxy Nexus – Verizon
Verizon said that they will not include Google Wallet in their very new Galaxy Nexus smart phone.
Verizon Wireless is U.S.’s largest wireless carrier and has cited security as a concern for doing so.
Bypassing Google’s mobile payment system, Verizon Wireless, which is co-owned by Verizon communications and Vodafone Group Plc. Are working towards building “the best security and user experience”.
There are two contradictory views towards this move. Is this a competitive move or a move to address security concerns? There isn’t much clarity yet, but here are the facts as per the news:
- Verizon’s latest Android phone uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology chip, that can transmit payment information to store registers.
- Google’s Wallet is more deeply integrated in the Nexus phone through the NFC chip than most other mobile commerce systems.
- (This one’s straight from their news story) “As architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones,” Nelson said in a separate e-mail. “We are continuing our commercial discussions with Google on this issue.”
- However, Google Wallet is a secure platform, and is built with security as a priority – with the understanding that consumers need to make payments over a secure channel using a mobile phone.
- Verizon has it’s own payment service (still in the development phase). Some say that’s the reason for this Google block out.
- Sprint does not seem to have security concerns and does include Google Wallet in the Google’s Nexus S.
So, lots of information out there and lots of facts. As far as contradictory views on the Google Wallet blocking by Verizon is concerned, it’s still a debate. But to state clearly,
Google Wallet has been here since a long time – it was called Google Check out and has been widely used since a long time too – without any security concerns.
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