Google’s new NFC payment solution, Google Wallet is cool to be sure, but as of now it only works with one phone, Sprint’s Nexus S 4G. T-Mobile users on who have the original Nexus S have been left wondering why they aren’t so privileged. Both versions of Nexus S models have the same NFC chip, but a spokesperson from Google has confirmed that they have not yet reached an agreement with T-Mobile, and until such an agreement happens, only Sprint’s version will be able to use Wallet.

The statement comes courtesy of Google’s VP of Payments, Osama Bedier. To be clear Google will be working to bring Google Wallet to T-Mobile Nexus S owners, but Google has no plans of implementing the service without carrier approval. Google doesn’t see much difficulty in getting carriers on board in the future.

Now that Google’s has announced plans for the first mobile payment system in America, there’s finally a commercial use for NFC. We’ve all known for awhile now that pushing NFC has been a high priority for Google, and clearly they hope that mobile payments will be the platform that helps push NFC to be as popular in America as it is in countries like China and Japan.

[via PhoneScoop]

8 COMMENTS

  1. Welcome fragmentation 2.0

    Google just doesn’t learn.

    Why the hell do you need carrier involvement for this at all!? Shouldn’t one need a data connection available at most to perform NFC transactions? Carriers should be eliminated from the schema of all things as much as possible. Their meddling and involvement in so many things beyond just providing access is bad enough already. Don’t empower them any more than they already are fookin morons.

    • Google doesn’t have the pull that Apple does with carriers. T-Mobile accepts a bit of liability with adding google wallet, as this will turn into more customer service calls (something T-mobile isn’t really known for). Don’t worry, they’ll probably add it, and honestly, what difference does it make? You have your real wallet with you most of the time!

  2. I don’t understand, what APPROVAL is needed from T-Mobile?!?! It’s an APP that enables the NFC chip to do cool things.. It has NOTHING to do with T-Mobile!

  3. I don’t understand, what APPROVAL is needed from T-Mobile?!?! It’s an APP that enables the NFC chip to do cool things.. It has NOTHING to do with T-Mobile!

  4. First with google talk video over 3g, now with google wallet. Tmobile is really stating to act more like AT&T. 

  5. hey hope that mobile payments will be the platform that helps push NFC
    to be as popular in America as it is in countries like China and Japan.

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