Google Wallet App In Nigeria -Pays via NFC Turns phone into a wallet
The Google Wallet app is a recently introduced invention by Google Inc. it is meant to enable users to make real-time virtual but real payments for goods and services using their mobile phones which must be NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled, thereby replacing the need for plastic payment cards while on the move. On the app, the same functionalities of debit/credit cards are synchronized, hence it will reduce the excesses inherent in the manual carriage of debit/credit cards.
Google Wallet app: Save While Shopping, Device Compatibility
Another feature of the Google Wallet App is its ability to save coupons, loyalty cards and store offers which will help users save while shopping. The Google Nexus S 4G currently has the app enabled and this service is exclusive to Sprint users in the USA. Other NFC enabled Android devices will soon join the trend in later.
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Sprint, Citi, MasterCard, and First Data. However, Visa, Discover, and American Express are Google’s main launch partners for the Google Wallet.
In future, however, Google intends to partner with other leading companies in a bid to making the Google Wallet a success.
The Google Wallet app also works with Google Offers, which can enable you to get offers and deals as you make use of Google search services such as Google Search, Shopper, Google Maps, Latitude, and Google Offers in searching for products and services which are relevant to your search term and location
The app will then automatically synchronize your search offers, enabling you to redeem them at merchant locations when you shop.
How To Pay with Google Wallet
Presently, Google Wallet app (the launch version) runs with Citi MasterCard and a Google Prepaid Card, which can be funded using any other kind of payment card. In future, however, the service will run on other kinds of cards such as Visa, Discover, and American Express. The idea is to synchronize information on user’s usual debit/credit cards to the Google Wallet app and use it on the go. So, virtually all kinds of debit/credit card will be activated on the app in future.
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At the moment, Google Wallet works with merchant locations which have the MasterCard PayPass logo. All you have to do if you’re in such a location is to tap your phone on the PayPass terminal. Your Google Wallet app will then securely transmit your payment details over the Near Field Communications system. Upon successful completion of payments, a notification will be sent to you instantly.
The Google Wallet app allows you to earn and redeem loyalty points, coupons, Google Offers etc. at Google Singletap Merchant locations. Maybe, more functionalities will be added in future, who knows!
Security
There is a special chip called Secure Element, which Google Wallet stores your payment credentials on the app. This is to protect your payment credentials, thereby instituting a superior level of security from unauthorized usage by a third party. This Secure Element is not stored in your phone’s main operating system and/or hardware. It can only be accessed by an authorized program(s) such as the Google Wallet.
Additionally, users are required to enter a Personal Identification Number, PIN before transmitting payment credentials during checkout. This is just another level of security to guard against theft and unauthorized access and usage.
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Presently, the Google Wallet runs on only the Google Nexus S 4G as it is perhaps the only phone with a Secure Element chip plus NFC support. As more NFC enabled Android phones will join the trend soon, Google Wallet will be enabled to run in them too.
What is Near Field Communications NFC?
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a high-speed, versatile short-range embedded technology. It can be embedded as a chip, perhaps, microchip in just any object such as stickers, t-shirts, movie posters etc. The information stored can then be read using a device enabled to retrieve information from the chip. When brought near, two NFC enabled devices will easily exchange information and data.
