PR Company, Internet Marketing

Google Wallet to launch in time for London 2012

Google are hoping to launch their contactless mobile phone payment app, Google Wallet, in the UK in time for the London Olympics this year. The application uses Near Field Communications technology, enabling people to use their mobile phone, instead of their credit cards to purchase goods and services.

The company are expecting that the release of this relatively new technology will mean that people no longer have to carry around large wallets full of credit cards, store cards and cash. The application means that you can simply hold your phone up against a scanner in-store to pay for your items. More and more stores in the UK are beginning to use contactless payment technology, including McDonalds and Pret A Manger. If a store accepts this form of payment, a wave symbol will be displayed at the checkout. Google describe the payment process simply as ‘Tap, Pay and Save’ and hope that the same technology will be adapted for boarding passes and tickets in the near future.

Although it has been around for a little while, Near Field Communications is thought to be the outbreak technology of 2012, as more mobile phones are built capable of using contactless payment technology, and more stores begin to accept it as a form of payment. One of the reasons Near Field Communications hasn’t already taken up well in the world of retail, is the fear of security breaches, in the form of fraud and phone hacking. Last year Google published a series of online marketing videos on YouTube to explain more about the technology and put consumers’ minds at rest about its security.

After already launching successfully in the United States, the UK is set to be the next destination for the app to launch, and hopes to combat any currency issues that may occur when tourists are visiting London for the Olympics. However Google Wallet will not be the first NFC technology in the UK. Barclays released their contactless payment cards back in 2008, with their memorable ‘Waterslide’ advert which showed a man sliding through various stores, scanning his Barclay card to pay for products. The company also recently teamed up with mobile phone operators Orange, to create ‘Quick Tap’ their version of the contactless mobile phone payment application. However both of these payment forms can only be used for items valued under £15.

Google have high hopes that their application will revolutionise payment systems, and prevent the need for people to carry around credit cards and wallets, however it is thought that it may take a while for people to get on-board with the idea. One of the more worth-while advantages of the mobile phone payment app has to be the speedy time it takes to pay something, which should shorten queues in stores. We all know how much us Brit’s hate to queue after all!

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