Do we live in such a fast-paced, tech-crazed society that even swiping a credit card is getting old? Do we really want – or need – an even faster way to pay for things while on-the-go? Are our wallets that annoying that we want to eliminate them altogether? Should we really be able to rely on our smartphones for everything?
These are some of the questions worth answering in regards to Google Wallet. Google Wallet is a way to pay for things using your smartphone and near-field communications (NFC) technology.
If you have Google Wallet on your smartphone, all you have to do is tap your phone to the card reader, and that’s it. Done. Paid for. Out the door. It’s certainly different, exciting, and new, but are we really ready for Google Wallet?
NFC Payments – The Future is Near
There have been a lot of developments lately in mobile payments using NFC technology. Most experts predict that NFC payments will eventually become the norm. As the technology develops and more banks, credit cards, payment services, and merchants get on board, one day we might no longer have the need for a conventional wallet, as long as we have a smartphone.
Google Wallet is one way to do this now, but is it a little too soon to make the switch? So far, Google Wallet only works with Sprint phones. If Google Wallet ever hopes to take over the mobile payment industry, it needs to convince other networks to work with it, too.
Google Wallet – Coming to a Store Near You
The next time you’re at a store, pay attention at the cash register. Does it have a PayPass symbol? You can actually already use Google Wallet in a lot more stores than you’d think. Many major retailers accept it as a form of payment, and the numbers will only continue to grow.
Google Wallet currently works around the country in retailers such as Macy’s, CVS, Office Max, Walgreens, and Sunoco. It seems as though we are more than ready for mobile payments.
Google Integration
Google Wallet stands out from the crowd, however, in the fact that it’s, well, Google. Google integration would be one of the main aspects of Google Wallet. Consider the possibilities. You may already use Google for its Offers or Shopping. It may be your email service or your phone service. With everything that Google does for us already, it makes sense that it could also handle our finances and be used to complete payments. But when you think about it, are we really ready for this? How would you feel about relying on Google for everything, including your money?