Tired of feeling like second-class citizens next to Apple Pay, contactless mobile payment pioneers Google Wallet and Softcard have teamed up with three of the nation’s largest wireless carriers.
The Google Commerce Blog today announced plans to ramp up adoption of Google Wallet, the near-field communication (NFC) based mobile payment technology first introduced in 2011.
Rather than attempt to compete with carrier-backed rival Softcard against the Apple Pay behemoth, Google has chosen to partner with the service formerly known as ISIS Mobile Wallet.
A joint venture between US carriers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, Softcard will relinquish “some exciting technology and intellectual property” to Google Wallet, which will soon come preinstalled on Android 4.4 KitKat or higher smartphones sold by the three carriers.
