GigaOM » NFC

Struggling Google Wallet reportedly abandons the idea of plastic cards

Laura Hazard Owen — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:13:41 +0000

It’s been two years since Google launched its mobile payments platform, Google Wallet, but the initiative has been slow to take off. The company had reportedly planned to launch a plastic card that could be used at merchants who don’t accept tap-and-go NFC payments. On Friday, though, AllThingsD reported that Google has abandoned the idea.

AllThingsD said the change of plan was included in a memo that also announced the departure of Google Wallet head Osama Bedier. The report cited sources who said that “Google CEO Larry Page abruptly killed the card launch plan after he was displeased with a glitchy run-through last week. He had long been skeptical of a physical card solution, with several sources saying he felt it did not press forward innovation as payments startups like Square have done.”

Google Wallet has also been hampered by its lack of partnerships with mobile carriers and platforms. It is available through Sprint, Virgin Mobile and some other carriers on select Samsung and LG phones but is not supported by Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile, and does not work on the iPhone.

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Hyundai wants your NFC-enabled smartphone to be your car keys

Ryan Kim — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:43:51 +0000

As we’ve pointed out, NFC isn’t just about payments and Hyundai is showing how it might be used to replace your next set of car keys. The auto maker is testing a new prototype of its Connectivity Concept, which allows users to access their car and interact with it using NFC-enabled smartphones.

The technology, which won’t actually go into production until 2015, allows a user to unlock and lock their car by tapping their phone on an NFC tag on the car door. That would mimic some of the basic building access tests we’re seeing using NFC smartphones. And it also replicates some of the mobile applications that allow for remote entry via a smartphone.

But Hyundai wants to go further. Once a user gets in the car, they place their smartphone in a center console, activating their specific user profile. The car then remembers the user’s specific settings such as radio station preferences and seating positions.

Users can stream their own music and phone contacts to the car’s 7-inch touch screen display, which can also interact with a phone’s navigation, multimedia and applications. It’s not clear if the streaming is via Bluetooth. The center console can also wirelessly charge the phone, something Toyota is integrating into its 2013 Avalon Limited.

Hyundai said it will be relying on a partnership with Broadcom to power its upcoming connected cars. This will be part of a larger package of connected services from Hyundai such as infotainment, telematics, reverse parking cameras and lane departure warnings.

I do wonder how much added security will be layered on because I wouldn’t want someone to be able to get into my car and drive off with my phone. Users will likely need to enter in a PIN, I imagine, to gain access to or start the car. But this shows again how NFC can be provide value in various settings because it makes tap-and-go interactions intelligent and can simplify the process of connecting and streaming information.

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Android this week: Wi-Fi changing app; Nexus 7 dock; Xbox SmartGlass

Kevin C. Tofel — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:37:24 +0000

I started my week out by using near-field communications, or NFC, wireless stickers to automatically toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios on my Android phone when leaving home. That solution works really well — see the video here — but later in the week, I found a super option for folks that don’t have NFC chips in their handset. Smart WiFi Toggler accomplishes the same task and its free.

There are plenty of other ways to do this type of task, but what I like about Smart WiFi Toggler is that it doesn’t require your GPS radio to be on. Other apps use the GPS signal to determine when you’ve left home, for example, and then turn off Wi-Fi for you.

I don’t like that approach because I only use the GPS radio when I need to: I don’t want the radio on all the time. Smart WiFi Toggler simply uses the already-on cellular radio to triangulate your location and take the appropriate actions. This method isn’t as precise for location, but in this case, it doesn’t need to be.

You can’t use this app for a Wi-Fi only Nexus 7 tablet because there’s no cellular radio. But all Nexus 7 tablets may soon get the anticipated landscape dock. Android Central got a tip about the dock appearing on a Japanese Asus site; Asus builds the Nexus 7 for Google.

On the site is information suggesting availability for the dock this month. The cost when converted from yen to dollars is $41 but I suspect the US price to be $49. Hopefully, I’m wrong and it comes in less than that, but either way, the dock looks handy for watching video and other activities in landscape mode.

One of those activities could be running the Xbox SmartGlass application, which just added support for the Nexus 7 this past week. The software adds a second-screen experience to Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console, providing additional information to any content being consumed. It also allows you to control your Xbox and lets you use the Nexus 7 as an on-screen keyboard for the console. I haven’t used this free app yet, so I can’t offer any opinion on the value of the app; if any readers have used it, I’d love to hear if it’s worth a try!

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Getting started with NFC on the phone and in the home

Kevin C. Tofel — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:17:34 +0000

When you mention NFC to someone, they either think of the National Football Conference in the U.S. or a method of wireless payments. But near-field communications (NFC) technology is actually neither: It’s a way of wirelessly transmitting data. That data could be for a mobile payment or, like I demonstrated earlier this month, it could be used to transmit contact information from an NFC-enabled business card.

Since I own two Android smartphones with NFC chips — the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Note 2 — I’m interested to see what else I can do with NFC. So I bought five NFC stickers and set out to learn. Turns out these little tags are already coming in handy: I’m using them to change my phone settings when I leave home and when I return.

Watch this video for free on GigaOM

Unfortunately, the NFC tags and software I started to use seem limited to Samsung phones and there appear to various tag standards. I’ve already found a new free Android app and other tags for a more universal solution. NFC Task Launcher, for example, works on the Nexus 4 smartphone built by LG. The developer also sells NFC tags in several different shapes, sizes and even for both indoor and outdoor use. And the supporting application offers more control options as well.

For now, I’m just experimenting but I’m thinking that with several NFC tags around the house, I can eventually tie into my home automation system and much more with this low-cost wireless tech.

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Moo’s NFC business card: The last one you may ever need

Kevin C. Tofel — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:48:44 +0000

Moo, the online printing company that offers business cards, greeting cards and more, recently demonstrated the ability to use wireless technology in the paper industry. The company showed off a business card with an embedded NFC, or near-field communications tag, and sent me one. At first I thought this was technology for the sake of technology since you can push contact data already from one NFC-enabled phone to another. But after using the test card, I realized that a dedicated card eliminates all the button presses needed to beam data between phones.

You can see how easy it is to use the card in my brief video: Just tap the card to any phone that has an NFC radio. The card will pass data to the phone and even tell the phone what to do with it. In my case, it passes a link to my GigaOm Pro profile and tells the phone to open a browser to that web page.

The card could just have easily added me as a contact to the phone. In fact, the NFC tag can be re-programmed as needed in case you want to change the data on it. I’m not one to carry business cards around all that much, but I could certainly see myself carrying this one from Moo, particularly as more phones come with NFC capabilities.

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Is Google looking beyond NFC? Reportedly prepping plastic Wallet cards

Ryan Kim — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:01:03 +0000

UPDATED: Google may be preparing to offer plastic Google Wallet cards, which will work with its existing online and mobile payment tool.

Android Police has a leaked version of Google Wallet sent by a tipster that shows information about an upcoming Google Wallet card, which connects to a Google Wallet account and can be used at traditional credit card point of sale terminals. The cards are pitched as a way to pay with Google Wallet at a location that doesn’t take NFC tap-and-go payments.

Now, we can’t verify the authenticity of the app or the screen shots from Android Police. I reached out to Google and a spokesperson declined to comment. And you could argue that an analog card isn’t in keeping with Google’s digital character. But the report makes some sense to me.

While Google has said it’s committed to NFC, it is also working to expand the uses for Google Wallet. It merged Wallet with Google Checkout, its online payment system a year ago and is now using it for payments online. And in August, it shifted Google Wallet to a cloud-based model, so it could directly support any credit or debit card. And today, Google announced Wallet is available for transactions on mobile websites. The company last week also said it was preparing a new version of Google Wallet and curiously asked users if they used an iPhone, which does not support NFC.

UPDATE: NFC Times also reported last month that Google was working on a co-branded payment card with Discover Financial Services though Google has not confirmed any details about the card. (original story follows)

Google has struggled with Google Wallet, getting an estimated 50,000-100,000 downloads of its app earlier this year. The problems stem from the fact it hasn’t gotten support from Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T, which are backing Isis, a rival mobile payment joint venture. Also, its dependence on NFC for in-store payment limits its reach to about 200,000 stores that have upgraded their hardware to handle contactless NFC payments.

If Google introduces a card — which would connect to a Google Wallet pre-paid balance or pre-loaded debit and credit cards — it can get around all of those limitations and hit millions of locations. And it also lends more credence to the idea that cards are not dead by a long shot, no matter how many next generation mobile payment tools we throw at it.

PayPal has made its pre-paid card a big part of its in-store payment initiative, which it will use as part of a big partnership with Discover next year. PayPal has pitched itself as more of a digital wallet, something Visa with V.me, American Express with its Serve product, and others are doing as well. Google Wallet could become more of a broader payment tool that uses NFC when available but lives in a lot of different forms, as an online tool for e-commerce transactions but also potentially uses QR codes, barcodes or other methods at certain physical stores. Google will still get its money from serving up offers and discounts.

The Andoid Police reports says that users can swipe their Wallet card and their default payment card on file will be charged unless users select a different source through the Google Wallet app. Users would get instant notifications of their transaction through the app. And they can still apply offers on card transactions. The Wallet is also getting additional features like the ability to withdraw funds from a wallet balance, send personal payments and also handle transit cards, according to Android Police.

There’s no information on when this would become available. And again, we have to wait to see if this report proves true. But it makes sense to me. Payments don’t take any one particular form. There’s no reason why Google Wallet couldn’t manifest in a card.

Images courtesy of Android Police

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Google prepares new Wallet, may support iPhone

Ryan Kim — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:53:52 +0000

Googleis working on a new version of Google Wallet for mobile phones and it may include support for the iPhone. As first noted by BusinessInsider, the Google Wallet home page has been updated to allow users to request an invite to a new Google Wallet that is now in the works.

What’s interesting is that when you sign up for an invite, the site asks what kind of device you use: Android, iPhone or other. It’s unclear what that means for Google Wallet, which up until now has been based on near-field communication for mobile payments. NFC payments require a chip inside devices to complete tap-and-go transactions.

It could mean that Google may be pursuing a more cloud-based approach to payments that doesn’t require NFC for transactions. Or Google Wallet could integrate with Apple’s Passbook or evolve to support QR codes or 2D barcodes, which is how Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts handle mobile payments. Or it could just mean Google wants to know how many iPhone users are interested in Google Wallet. Currently, the iPhone doesn’t support NFC and Apple decided to keep the technology out of the iPhone 5, dealing a symbolic blow to the short-range wireless technology.

The reliance on NFC has been problematic for Google Wallet, which launched a year ago but has only been able to get support on select Sprint and Virgin Mobile devices. On Monday, Google announced it is now expanding support to Galaxy S III devices on MetroPCS. Google has had little luck in getting support on phones running on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, which on Monday finally launched a competing mobile payment system called Isis that also relies on NFC. Google may finally get Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to allow Google Wallet on their phones but it’s unclear when that will happen.

Google’s VP of Wallet & Payments Osama Bedier, reiterated his support for NFC last week saying it was still easier to use than QR codes. He predicted that NFC will grow in popularity in the coming years and “NFC chips will replace bar codes.”

So there are not a lot of answers right now but it makes sense for Google to try some new approaches. In August, it also opened up Google Wallet to allow any card to work with the payment system. But it still faces challenges in Wallet adoption, even on existing Android phones. I’m not sure what iPhone support would look like but any additional momentum for Google Wallet would be welcome at this point.

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Carrier mobile payment play Isis goes live in Austin and Salt Lake City

Ryan Kim — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:46:20 +0000

Isis, the mobile payment joint venture between Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, is finally going live Monday in Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah after missing its earlier summer launch date. The payment system, which uses near field communication (NFC), will be available on nine handsets and can be used at hundreds of locations in the two cities.

Consumers interested in Isis will need to head down to their carrier store to either buy an Isis compatible NFC-enabled phone or check if their phone is among the nine supported devices. They will also need to get a new SIM card from their operator to enable touch-and-go payments from their phone.

Some of the supported phones include: Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S Relay 4G and Galaxy S II on T-Mobile and the Droid Incredible 4G LTE on Verizon. The Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD should also be ready this week at some point. AT&T will support the Galaxy S III, HTC One X, Samsung Exhilarate, LG Escape and Samsung Rugby Pro. Later this year, the HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy Note II will support Isis on T-Mobile.

After downloading the Isis app from Google Play, users will be able to load up their American Express, Capital One or Chase credit card. Or they’ll be able to use an Isis Cash card, which can be pre-loaded from any credit or debit account. While shopping in a store, users will be able to tap their phone and pay at participating locations and also store and use coupons, offers and loyalty cards from retailers. If you’re in Austin or Salt Lake City, you can check here to see what locations support Isis.

Isis said it expects to have another 11 phones ready to go on the system by the end of the year. Salt Lake City users will also get free rides on UTA buses, Trax and Frontrunner vehicles through January 31, 2013. We’ll have a hands-on look with Isis tomorrow from my colleague Stacey Higginbotham, who will be testing out Isis in Austin.

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A look back at mobile in the third quarter

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:55:10 +0000

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The Apple Roundup: Apple to enlist retail employees to improve Maps

Erica Ogg — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:30:23 +0000

With so many people writing about Apple, finding the best stories and reports isn’t easy. Here’s our daily pick of stories about the company from around the Web that you shouldn’t miss:

Apple retail stores will be using 40 hours per week of staff time to helping to improve Apple Maps data by sending in corrections for their local area, according to MacRumors.
It may have bypassed NFC tech in the iPhone 5, but is Apple still considering using it in future products? An Australian biometric security firm is said to be in talks with Apple about a joint effort related to secure NFC transactions. (via CNET)
Quartz distills Apple’s need to make a smaller iPad down to one statistic.
Oracle announces it is embracing the iPad. The company announced a new iPad app, Oracle Fusion Tap today.
While Apple stores sell most of the company’s Mac and iPads, it turns out that the company’s third-party retail partners sell more iPhones, AllThingsD reports.

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