Posted in: iOS, Mobile Services, Mobile software

Google Wallet now available on the iPhone

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Google’s ambitious Wallet service has largely been ignored by everyone since it launched a couple of years ago. The service was available only on a handful of carriers and Android devices with NFC built-in and thus was unavailable to a majority of people out there.

Google partially solved the problem earlier this week by lifting the NFC limit and making the Wallet app available on every Android device and US carrier. But starting today, you can now also use the Google Wallet service on your iPhone.

For those who are not aware, Google Wallet is a payment service where you would initially pay by simply tapping your phone at the counter instead of fumbling with cash or credit cards and the amount would be charged to your Google Wallet account. The new service, however, works differently. You can now send money from your Google Wallet account to others using their email ID, which makes it more of a PayPal competitor now. You can also add your loyalty cards and offers to your Google Wallet account and redeem them at stores.

With the NFC restriction gone and iPhone availability, a lot more people can now finally start using the service. But more than anything, this rings the death knell for NFC. With one of its biggest proponents now having abandoned one of its major use, it remains to be seen how long it remains a relevant feature. Then again, it never was.

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