Google Wallet: The Complete FAQ

Google's hoping you're ready to put your money where your phone is.

Yeah–you read that straight. Google declared the establish of a new mobile payment scheme called "Google Pocketbook" on Thursday. The service lets you store your credit cards inside your smartphone, then use the gimmick to build contact-free payments. All you act is wave your phone in front of a exceptional sensing element, and–hocus pocus!–the defrayment is successful.

Google Wallet isn't magic, though (hey, this isn't Apple we're talking about). It uses something called Near Field Communication to let your phone communicate wirelessly with sensors at stores' check-out procedure lanes. Support for Near Field Communication, operating theatre NFC, is built into Google's Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system. A phone also inevitably the right hardware to make up able to put information technology to use.

Now, I know: This all sounds a trifle wacky. The integral mobile defrayment concept, afterwards wholly, is new and chartless soil for most of us. That's why I've collectively this massive Google Wallet FAQ. Read on, and get answers to all your alight questions.

Who can use Google Wallet?

Anyone with a compatible phone. To start, the armed service will support only Google's Link S 4G phone happening Dash. Google says, however, it'll constitute working to add more devices as prison term moves on. The service is also being offered only in the United States American Samoa of now.

So if I have any other phone, I'm retributory out of destiny?

Not necessarily. As reported aside TechCrunch, Google is working on a special charitable of sticker that will allow non-NFC-compatible phones to access the Google Wallet service. It'll reportedly be a more small experience than you'd get along a full supported phone, but IT'll at any rate let you make basic reference card payments.

What about non-Android phones?

Google has yet to mention anything about musical accompaniment for phones right of its Android operating system. According to IDG News reporter Nancy Gohring, Google representatives at Th's Notecase event "did not respond to a question near whether other kinds of phones are welcome on the political platform."

Will Google Pocketbook make right now?

Whoa there, Nelly–not yet. Today was just an annunciation. Google says it's field-testing the Google Wallet technology right now and bequeath release IT publicly "soon."

Leave Google Notecase work with any credit wag?

Not exactly. At launch, Google Wallet bequeath desegregate only with Citi MasterCards. The avail will also possess a built-in "Google Paid Card" that can store money added from any other credit card. (Google even gives you a free $10 credit entry connected the postpaid card when you first planetary hous up.)

Google says it's "working quickly" to add more charge plate options into the service and plans to eventually stand "altogether the cards you keep in your wallet today."

Wish Google Billfold do work with any other kinds of cards?

In many cases, Google Wallet can store loyalty cards–store memberships and the likes–and gift cards, likewise. Google envisions the Wallet plan one day handling things like driver's licenses, hotel keys, and yet concert tickets, to a fault.

Will most stores accept Google Wallet atomic number 3 a payment?

"Hundreds of thousands" of businesses are already set capable do information technology, reported to Google. The reason: Google Wallet uses MasterCard's PayPass system to accept transactions along the merchandiser end, and that scheme is already fairly wide deployed across the U.S. You can find a list of places in your area that'll work out with Google Wallet.

So how exactly will I make a Google Wallet payment?

When you're in a store that supports MasterCard PayPass, you'll typecast in a PIN and wave your phone ahead of the PayPass period when IT's time to pay. It's only like swiping a credit card–except, you know, without the actual charge plate or swiping motion.

Will I get a receipt?

Yep–just look-alike standard. Subsequent this year, though, Google is planning to weather sheet along a new have that'll let stores send revenue electronically right backwards through the Notecase lotion.

What if I'm in an area where I get corked reception?

Doesn't matter–Google says no network connection is needed to make a Google Wallet payment.

What if my earpiece's battery dies?

If your battery dies, you're out of luck. The phone has to be powered on in order for Google Billfold to work.

Will Google Wallet price Maine anything to utilization?

Nope, not a thing (aside from the emotional monetary value of strangers' stares A they look at you in bewilderment).

On that point is one exception, though: If you opt to use the Google Postpaid Card portion of the service, you may eventually run into fees. Google says adding funds onto that card will be fee-free "leastwise until the oddment of 2020"–which makes it sound like any type of monetary value might be in the cards, so to mouth, at around point down the line.

Will my Citi MasterCard automatically work with Google Billfold?

Probably, but you can double-check to cost sure. Any card added to Google Wallet testament besides ingest a $100 payment limit at ordinal; you'll have to acquire an authorization code from Citi to activate your full credit line.

Next: More Google Wallet FAQs, including concealment and security concerns

Security Concerns

Okay, wise guy, what about surety? Is this matter in reality safe?

Believe it or not, by most measures, it's safer than carrying a physical credit card in your sack. Google Billfold stores your chronicle info encrypted on a special chip shot inside your phone. The chip is completely separate from the rest of the phone's hardware and isn't connected to the OS, either. Google says just authorized programs like the Google Wallet app can access the chip–and if someone tries to hack into it, it'll automatically self-destruct (take that, James Bond!).

I'm shut up not convinced. What if another program somehow gains access?

Here's what Google says about that:

"Some the Android platform and the Plug Element [chip] are designed to prevent this from happening. Mechanical man enforces strict access policies and so that malicious applications wouldn't have accession to data stored by Google Wallet. Even Google Wallet itself has very limited access to the [chip] and cannot study or write data from its memory. There are eight-fold levels of protection for data stored on the [chip] and information technology is protected at the hardware level from snooping or tampering."

[Read Tony Bradley's report: Can You Cartel Your Data to Google Notecase?]

If someone else had my telephone, then, could they keep a wild shopping spree with my business relationship?

Probably non. Initiatory of all, you have to enter a Immobilize in order to make any payment, thusly having the headphone by itself wouldn't beryllium enough to admittance your accounts. If you were to turn a loss your phone or somehow get unauthorized charges, information technology'd work the same way of life it would with a regular charge card: You'd call your bank and they'd set aside the account. Any illegitimate charges would be handled the indistinguishable way they would be if they happened with regular ol' impressible.

According to the bunch from GigaOm, Google can likewise remotely wipe your financial info from your sound if the need arises.

How about that snooping matter? What's to hold bac someone from using some assort of gizmo to lift my data from my phone when I'm walk-to around?

Google says a telephone set's NFC capacity is only active when its screen is powered on, so a transmission wouldn't beryllium possible when the device is bone-idle in your pocket. Connected top of that, information can exclusively be inheritable when you get into your PIN. All in each, information technology'd probably be easier for someone to look at the numbers printed on your plastic card than to get them out of your phone.

Leave Google be collecting data on me when I use Google Wallet?

The G-gang promises it won't cost playing the role of big crony. Google says it receives no data about purchases and records only the time and type of card used in each dealing. That info is stored topically on the earphone, and you can e'er remove it (on with your account info) anytime you want.

Does Google catch any of the money I pay off?

Negatory; Google takes no cut from purchases made through its Google Wallet system.

Then what is Google getting down of this?

Good question. For one affair, Google Wallet allows Google to add esteem into its existing products and services, like Android. Compelling features attract more users, which is what Google is ultimately after.

Google Wallet also integrates with a variety of other Google services, thanks to a component called Google Offers. Google Offers allows you to find virtual coupons to store on your phone, within the Wallet app, and then use when you curb out at businesses.

Notably, you find those offers by using Google's official Offers website–currently being beta time-tested in a smattering of cities–surgery by clicking happening in hand links in other Google products like Maps, Latitude, and search. Everything brings you back to Google, and that's where Google stands to benefit the most.

Tell me more or so this Google Offers thing.

In one case Google Offers launches for your metropolis, you'll be able to go online and attempt out coupons for retailers in your area. IT looks like Google will also offer an option to generate coupons in your email each day (ouch, Groupon).

When you retard out at a store, you'll just show the virtual voucher to the cashier to get the discount or deal. At certain businesses, you'll be able to ransom the coupon wirelessly using the Google Pocketbook technology. A bunch of stores are already on-board with this, including so much places as American eagle, Bloomingdale's, Jamba Juice, Macy's, Subway, and Walgreens.

I run a business. How stool I learn more about Google Wallet and/or Offers from a merchandiser view?

You can contact the Google Billfold gang by emailing wallet-b2b@Google.com.

Aren't you getting tired of answering questions nearly Google Wallet? What is this, interrogative numeral 70 or something?

Number 263, in reality–and yes, now that you name information technology, I am a bit bushed.

Good, what should I perform if I have more questions?

Direct them to my personal assistant, Clippy. Or just scream forte; that e'er seems to work for Pine Tree State.

JR Raphael is a PCWorld contributing editor and the source of the Android Power blog. You force out find him along Facebook operating theatre on Twitter.