Google Wallet Now Works With AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile

[DroidModderX]

​

This is some pretty exciting news. Today Google announced that it has teamed up with SoftCard to bring Google Wallet to phones on carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. You will not longer have to do any hackery to get GW working on your device. I can remember when the first Nexus 7 came out and it came with a Google Wallet credit. I wasn't about to carry my Nexus 7 into McDonalds to pay for my meal, and was unable to obtain a working Google Wallet app on my Verizon phone without some crazy hacking. I had pretty much given up on NFC payments, and was not at all going to get invested in a Verizon only NFC payment system.

Apparently I can now give this a try again. Thanks to the new Google Wallet and SoftCard team up I should be able to load up my Google Wallet account and now use my current phone. Tap to Pay seems to be the next step in quick payment. One day young folks will look at me when I take out my debit card in the same way that they look at me when I pull out some cash.

via Google

 

[Mustang02]

I've had GW on my phone for over a year. I wasn't aware there was an issue with VZW and GW.

 

[IIGood]

Initially VZW had Wallet blocked from even showing up on the Play Store and then you'd have to do some side-loading to get it to work. But then Verizon opened the door to allow Wallet...this was just over a year ago. I can't remember if they did it on their own accord or if they were "forced" to.

But either way, yes, Google Wallet's been working on Verizon legitimately for a while now.

 

[bsweetness]

Initially VZW had Wallet blocked from even showing up on the Play Store and then you'd have to do some side-loading to get it to work. But then Verizon opened the door to allow Wallet...this was just over a year ago. I can't remember if they did it on their own accord or if they were "forced" to.

But either way, yes, Google Wallet's been working on Verizon legitimately for a while now.

It was due to encryption changes on Google's side of things with NFC and Google Wallet. Verizon previously said they wouldn't allow it because it wasn't secure enough for them (they required the use of a physical secure element). KitKat brought Host Card Emulation (HCE) that provided the changes Verizon required without needing a physical secure element. Google Wallet should work on Verizon devices running KitKat and above. I've been using it successfully for a year or so.

So yes, Google Wallet has been working on Verizon (as well as AT&T and T-Mobile) for a while now. It's nothing new. What is new is Google's acquisition of SoftCard and all of the major carriers now giving Google Wallet official support.

 

[Amagine]

I always figured something like this would happen. Google didn't NEED to get into the mobile payments game when they deployed Google Wallet. The Carriers were going to try and brand something of their own as bloatware so they could middle man some of the cash. I figured once Apple got into it, that carriers with a large majority of Android based phones would soon find their way back to Google as they always do. Softcard's initial branding mishap (no fault of their own) probably hastened the process as well.

 

[Ollie]

Nobody uses this nor Apple's copy cat version where I live. People look at me oddly when I use my phone to check out.

 

[grenefroggie]

I see PayPal and Google Wallet all over the place, but not much Apple Pay yet.

 

[Dusty]

Nobody uses this nor Apple's copy cat version where I live. People look at me oddly when I use my phone to check out.

I've been using GW for well over a year and I remember when I first used it at a nearby craptastic and grimy 7-11. The store clerk/proprietor accusingly asked me what I just did to his reader. I'm talking, a loud and sharply asked, "WHAT DID YOU JUST DO TO THAT!?!". My response was like, "Yes... I'm a criminal mastermind stealing $4 worth of energy drinks."

I went back a few days later, and he had actually forcibly removed the reader from the top of the credit card pad.

The coolest moment, was around the same time using it at a department store in D.C. and people responded like I just got off of a spaceship.

"...whaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?!?!"

 

[cr6]

What bothers me is, GW has been out for years and retailers have been extremely slow to incorporate/activate it "in store". iPay comes out and dozens of retailers have it up and running literally within a matter of weeks. What the hail!!
Just like the auto industry has always favored Apple....auto manufacturers are FINALLY starting to incorporate Android into their...well, I should say "select" vehicles.
Its an outrage! Or..."highway technology robbery" if you will. (TM pending on said phrase)

S5 tap'n

 

[bsweetness]

What bothers me is, GW has been out for years and retailers have been extremely slow to incorporate/activate it "in store". iPay comes out and dozens of retailers have it up and running literally within a matter of weeks. What the hail!!
Just like the auto industry has always favored Apple....auto manufacturers are FINALLY starting to incorporate Android into their...well, I should say "select" vehicles.
Its an outrage! Or..."highway technology robbery" if you will. (TM pending on said phrase)

S5 tap'n

Apple negotiated with retailers and banks for years ahead of time to have them on board shortly after launch. That's how Apple usually does things - get potential partners on board first, then release the service/product. Historically, Google has been far more likely to do the opposite - launch something and then try to get everyone on board with it.

Both approaches certainly have their pros and cons. Apple's approach has the advantage of taking more time for something to mature, both internally and externally. They can learn from what others (like Google) are doing and from their own testing before launch. But they're often late to the game. Google's approach allows them to be the first to market with many things, but sometimes it stumbles out of the gate, takes a bit to mature, and can see slow adoption.

 

[mountainbikermark]

What bothers me is, GW has been out for years and retailers have been extremely slow to incorporate/activate it "in store". iPay comes out and dozens of retailers have it up and running literally within a matter of weeks. What the hail!!
Just like the auto industry has always favored Apple....auto manufacturers are FINALLY starting to incorporate Android into their...well, I should say "select" vehicles.
Its an outrage! Or..."highway technology robbery" if you will. (TM pending on said phrase)

S5 tap'n

No fragmenting with Apple.

Support Our Troops !!!
<><
Beast Mode 4

 

[grenefroggie]

No fragmenting with Apple.

Support Our Troops !!!
<><
Beast Mode 4

I guess that depends on how you define fragmenting. No longer do all Apple devices support the same version of iOS.

What I fear most about auto makers putting Android in their vehicles is exactly that. They won't update it enough, or at all.

 

[jackiescivic]

So to use GW, do I begin with Softcard? Or is there a different place?

Sent from my Note 4

 

[grenefroggie]

I believe since SoftCard is not widely distributed, there is a good chance GW will still be used, and Google will incorporate any useful features in to GW.

I just set up Google Wallet today. It's pretty cool.

 

[bsweetness]

So to use GW, do I begin with Softcard? Or is there a different place?

Sent from my Note 4

I'm 99% sure that Softcard will be rolled into Google Wallet and will cease to exist as its own mobile payment system. Given that, I'd go with Google Wallet if I were trying to decide which system to use right now.