Google will now let you pay for things simply by tapping your phone against a special, NFC-enabled credit card reader. The tech giant is calling it a SingleTap experience.
The new feature marks the first major enhancement since the summer launch of Google Wallet, and lets you both pay and redeem coupons at terminals found in drug stores, retailers, taxis, and some train stations, without having to clip (or print out) and paper coupons.
The initial launch allowed customers to pay with a tap of their phone. But the enhancement creates a two-way communication between the phone and the point-of-sale terminal, allowing the retailer to send back information such as coupons and rewards points to the phone.
The phone ‘remembers’ the Offers you’ve saved or purchased, and redeems them automatically to be precise.
Google Wallet is still only available to consumers that have the Sprint Nexus S 4G. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see some announcements for T-Mobile or AT&T variants of the Nexus S work at the Android event in Hong Kong this week as Google has been aggressively pushing the service as it attempts to take an early, dominant role in the evolution of mobile payments.
Google Wallet has landed some new retailers that will be integrating the service soon, including: Chevron, D’Agostino, Faber News Now, Gristedes Supermarkets and Pinkberry, who join American Eagle, Macy’s, Jamba Juice, Toys "R" Us and more (see a full listing of the partners here).
