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Google Acquires Softcard Technology, Inks Deal With Carriers to Pre-Install Google Wallet on Android Devices
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They're buying Softcard, letting any existing users continue to use it (for the time being), but replacing it for Google Wallet on new Android phones.
Wasn't that what I implied? "Then replacing it with Google Wallet with the carriers' blessings?"
That's pretty much how it is. Apple's days of innovation are long gone.
Now their bread and butter is taking tech that already exists and making it their own.
The easiest solution would be for people to stop claiming other companies are following or copying Apple. That would quickly put a rest to these kinds of arguments.
It sounds like they are doing it less for the technology and more for the ability to establish a deal with the three carriers to build Google Wallet into future Android phones for the first time. Sounds more like the cost of doing business than the cost of improving technology they didn't already have.
It's not 'following' but rather also competing. The iPhone not having NFC, not having a big screen etc were complaints often made. You can argue Apple is following in these areas. No one moaned that the iPhone couldn't make payments but all the competition could.
"Competing" is a perfectly fine word to use to describe what's going on.
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Good point.
The intellectual property must be patents, because you can be sure that they didn't buy the company for its trademarks.
I don't care if it's Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or whatever else - mobile payments is an exciting area and I hope it continues to improve for people on all platforms.
This is exactly what we should all be taking away from this. Anything to help NFC become more of a standard around the world.
That is one way to get to get around the carriers refusing to play ball. Just buy out the company they all had the deals with as they wanted to avoid Google.
Until the iPhone, there was no compelling reason to get a smartphone unless you were a business executive. It's all about the execution of the idea. Until you use Apple Pay, you have no idea how simple and convenient (and secure) it is.
That's not true at all.
I'm assuming you have forgotten about the success of pre-smartphones like the Sidekick.
Well, this "Apple Lover" had Wallet on an Android almost three years ago. It sucked then, too. I knew then that, if Apple ever did it they would do it better. And I was right.
I wonder if Microsoft/Windows//Google/Android or Samsung enthusiasts news forums get constant news information about Apple acquisitions or updates to their products and OS's?
Google haters fail to realize how much harder their life would be without Google.
Apple has benefited immensely from Google's contributions to iPhone functionality and the overall usefulness of nearly all Apple products.
Yet to understand most the haters would be required to be open minded. That may be a daunting task for some.
This move by Google further validates what they AND Apple are doing in the electronic payment space. Yet you'd have to understand business and finance to appreciate this latest development.
I enjoy Apple AND Google as just two of many companies in the tech industry that make our lives richer.
Apple has benefited immensely from Google's contributions to iPhone functionality and the overall usefulness of nearly all Apple products.
Yet to understand most the haters would be required to be open minded. That may be a daunting task for some.
This move by Google further validates what they AND Apple are doing in the electronic payment space. Yet you'd have to understand business and finance to appreciate this latest development.
I enjoy Apple AND Google as just two of many companies in the tech industry that make our lives richer.
Did they change their name from Isis due to the terrorist group? Also, Google better make sure all of their phones have NFC.
Quick question, where did you make that avatar? I've seen them but never knew where they came from.
Quick question, where did you make that avatar? I've seen them but never knew where they came from.
Why are you complaining?
Millions of people don't have iPhones and don't want them.
This will encourage Android users into mobile payments, which will encourage businesses to install NFC terminals.
That benefits ApplePay users too.
Okay, I must have been living in a sheltered corner of the Internet. Not trying to be sarcastic, just I hadn't really heard it mentioned, my bad
I can't help feeling that whatever Apple introduces some corner of the vast Android world will dig up a version or a handset somewhere which had the feature first.
It came up a lot here, even, when somebody would compare one of the devices that did use NFC payment to the iPhone or say 'the next one needs NFC'. It got annoying.
Hey, I never claimed the Sidekick was perfect.
Regardless, its success showed that pre-smartphones and smartphones weren't just for business executives. Sidekicks were very popular with teenagers and casual mobile users at the time.
Who wants to pay with their phone? That is so 2014. People want to pay with their watch. And soon their Magic Apple Ring.
It's already simple and convenient for me to use a credit card. I'm not worried about security. Plus, someone eventually will figure out a way to hack Wallet, AP, et al.