Google Wallet, the wireless payment scheme we’ve heard reports about, has just been announced at an event in New York. Is this the revolution that’ll get rid of that piece of leather you carry around in your pocket all day?
UPDATE: Video!
If you’re using an Android 2.3 phone with NFC (so, er, the Google Nexus S) in the US, you’ll soon be able to download and use a Google Wallet app, which will work with Citi MasterCards and Google Prepaid cards to bleep your moolah over to the cashier wherever Mastercard PayPass contactless payment units are used.
Google Wallet will integrate with a new Google Offers service, which delivers a local deal based on location – exactly like Groupon, but only available in Portland and New York City for now – and will let you tap to pay at supported shops.
As ever with all the most appealing Google services, there’s no release date beyond “soon”, and not a peep about when it will be hitting the UK. But this is the start of something big: Android is now the biggest smartphone OS on the planet, so if anyone can hit critical mass for this to work, it’s Google. It’s safe to say though that the folks in Cupertino will be looking on with interest.
Out TBC | £TBC | Google
