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Who needs NFC when you’ve got good ol’plastic, eh? Having failed to bring Google Wallet to our shores, big G’s done the next best thing and launched a credit card in the UK — a global first too.
The credit card is actually just a rebranded Barclaycard, so it’s not actually all that special. Unfortunately, there’s also a rather large catch, which rather limits the utility of the traditional plastic. The only thing you can buy with Google’s MasterCard is Mountain View’s own Adwords text ads, which seems kind of ludicrous until you find out that this thing is purely for business.
Apparently Google thought that smaller businesses weren’t buying as many of its ads as it thought they should. It came to the conclusion that it was because they didn’t have the collateral for up-front purchases, so produced a credit card to spread the load. Handy, I guess.
Now, if Google would like to release Google Wallet in the UK, and a credit card for average punters if it’s so inclined, we’d be happy. Natwest and all the other contactless payment providers are, frankly, making a bit of a disparate mess of things at the moment — give us one unifying standard we can all get behind, please? [The Register]
Image credit: Credit cards from Shutterstock
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Goddamnit. I came in here to apply for one. I wasn’t even going to read the article first. sorta glad I did though
Do you often apply for credit cards without reading about them first? :p
Not usually, but Google says they’re not evil, and I read it on the Internet so what could go wrong?
“The credit card is actually just a rebranded Barclaycard” – That’s what.
Reading your post way too literally….. You wouldn’t be able to apply for one ‘in here’. Not unless Giz have branched out into the credit card application market.
Haven’t you heard of the Bank of Gibbs?
Perhaps I should have said ‘I came in here to click the link at the bottom of the article and apply for one at the website the link sent me to’, but that sounded a little wordy
More accurate though
. However, you’d be wrong because the link at the bottom of the article just takes you do another article, not the application process.
I can see this literal stuff is going to become boring very, very soon.
The rates offered with my Apple Visa credit card are far more favorable than on your pathetic Google MasterCard.
etc.
Except you have to have a £30 proprietary adapter to use the Apple Credit Card anywhere except an Apple store
My Apple Visa allows me access to first class lounges at hundreds of airports. I also have a concierge service, admittedly it puts me through to an Apple genius who isn’t really of much use, but I get an unlimited number of ‘high fives’ and ‘hollering’ whenever I want.
I’m happy with what I’ve got and would never change it! Its a halifax Ulitmate Reward Account!
The card makes wireless payments so no need for chip and pin, it gives me heaps of benefits like breakdown cover for the motor, free travel insurance, free iPhone 5 insurance and lots of other good stuff…
If I had NFC would that mean I abandoned my card, no, never, so I won’t be missing it as I would never have used it in all honesty!
As for google, it looks like they are copying Apple! Again!
Is this a joke? I genuinely can’t work it out.
No joke! Seriously I don’t care for NFC right now, KFC maybe…
In case you are still struggling.. . “The Apple Juniper Visa Card” has existed for some time.
And remember if you hang around for NFC to take of you could be waiting a while, contactles has been around for a while now…
Sure if you ignore the fact that it has practically nothing in common with the Apple one and that Apple aren’t the only ones to have a branded credit card. Thieving bastards. We clearly need another 1 billion dollar lawsuit. You can even see that it’s a rectangle with rounded edges. But yes I couldn’t work out if you were joking either D:
Yes it’s time to call in the lawyers but only if they accept payment via apple credit card…
Google Wallet now please. I’m fed up of waiting for the banks to sort their lives out and give me a decent way to pay with my phone.
As an individual working within the financial sector, who has tested some of the emerging technologies I can say that I’m not the biggest fan o paying using a smart phone, maybe it’s just me, a traditionalist, happy to carry a wallet, withdraw real cash, something you can visually see in your hand or pay using a debit card.
Also if something goes wrong between the smart device and the google wallet, who are you going to blame for any loss?
I don’t use cash and a 5 quid limit on card is muchos annoying.
The fault would lie with Google Wallet. That is what handles payment and if the payment fails, that must be where the fault lies.
Yeah true £5 is not enough for contact less, £30 should generally be enough if I’ve not been to the ATM.
Agree with it being Gooles fault but it would be most likely the bank who is expected to cover the loss. This is a reason why some banks may be hesitant. If the current system works then why change it, when they are required to move with the times I’ve no doubt they will, just don’t think it right now..
Perhaps one area not mentioned much of transactions is Pay Pal. Any payments I make using a smart device is via this, it could be something that will spread beyond the realm of online transaction, some high street stores are looking at adopting Pay Pal as a method of payment.
Its good that all smart platforms have a PayPal app already available…