Hi guys. I got myself a Samsung galaxy nexus yesterday and I was well aware its equipped for NFC and wireless paying. Unfortunately the trial for Google wallet is US only at the moment, but rumour has it the UK will get the service in time for the Olympics. Now I decided to start this thread to see what you guys think about NFC and the idea of replacing your wallet with a phone, Subway already let me use my phone instead of a card in my wallet. I have been talking about this to a few of my work mates and we all think its a good idea. Esp for people like me who hate carrying change and want to buy small things that require a bank note then change. This would make it much easier if i just wanted a bottle of coke, Due to most merchants imposing minimum spend limits on card payment. I was highly shocked when talking to some people I work with (Im a repair tech for mobiles and pc's) who had no idea what NFC was or that it even existed untill i reminded them of the Barclaycard roller coaster advert . The fact its on a few phones too. What do you all think then? Pete
I am also looking forward to this being rolled out! I hate carrying change and find it annoying when some shops don't take cards.
I have it on my new visa card, would much prefer it on my phone, prehaps if it had a pin to type on my phone ( or better the unlock pattern android uses). At the moment the only place I've seen which accepts my card is mcdonalds - so anyone who finds my card with a big contactless symbol on it can go and have lunch on me with no need for a PIN
from what I have seen for google wallet when i was trying to see if i could get it. You can add a pin to the system before you pay as it were, not sure yet if if was pattern too. I think TFL Could use NFC for oyster cards. I know i would love it and im sure visitors would too, imagine just download and top up an app, no need to faff with deposits and such trying to get a physical card, For me that would be good as i do go to london a few times a year and having the app would just make it easier
Fellow Galaxy Nexus owner (nice choice) but have never used NFC, even living in the US. To be honest, I've never seen a place where it'd be used. It seems to be a case of places accepting it not being active enough in their advertisements if there are such places out there. It likely doesn't help that I can only think of two places with minimum purchase limits and not a single place that doesn't accept cards at all, the trusty debit card is hard to beat. Some local ski resorts have started using a sort of contactless card for tickets. Simply ski up to a little turnstyle type gate at the lift, your card which is prepaid for the day gives it the greenlight and off you go. It would be pretty nifty if they could also use NFC so people wouldn't have to deal with keeping each resort's card handy, simply take your phone along with.
That's definitely not new tech - I've used those systems in Europe at least 10 years ago, probably 12 or 13 really. NFC is a great idea - I'm looking forward to small payments by phone, but it still won't stop the need for cash occasionally. The minimum value is the kicker though, they should use it for anything larger than 10p or 20p transactions, something extremely small.
Yea most ski resorts do use NFC cards for ticket machines now to help cut down on queue times and its a very good use for the tech, An app would be epic but that would involve most resorts teaming up to make the app and allow their systems to all use the same app as it were, which would be a huge investment on their part maybe one day though. would love to carry my phone and use lifts any where in the world. As for the UK i belive minimum spend limits are much more common usually sits around the £2 mark which is more than a bottle of coke costs unfortunately. I believe McDonalds have contactless payment technology as one of the major banks but contactless chips in their cards, even with a big marketing campaign the tech never took off. The Google wallet Olympics article I saw makes it sound like if google get it to work you should be able to use NFC to buy anything at the Olympics, If that was able to take off It would hopefully provide a big foot hold for NFC to take off in the UK. EDIT: I remember seeing some advertisers using NFC to place info in posters etc. This would be a cool use, If through an app you set it to show the kind of ads you might care about and if you walk past a poster your phone picked it up, checked if it was on your list and if it was alerted you to the ad now displayed on your phone.
I believe some larger resorts in other states have been using them for awhile as well, but around here where skiing is a much smaller ordeal it's still very cutting edge. In fact, the mountain I skied last weekend still uses the old passes. I'm not sure if it's cost of implementation, not being sure if the public was ready for it or just culture that has caused them to take so long in implementing. It's certainly much smoother with the cards, though.
We've had NFC stuff here in the U.S. for 10 years, at least here in So.Cal. Several CCs have them in the cards for a "tap and go" to use at 7-11 type stores, Jack-in-the-Box fast food joints or where ever. Mobile gas stations will program a FOB with your CC details. They call it quick pass or something another. Frankly, I wont use them, not even on a Google phone. I consider it another possible point of failure or another point of exposure to my finances to be exploited.
It's the whole "minimum spend limit" thing that really winds me up - the uni restaurant wants at least £3 before they'll accept card. I detest carrying around excessive change (weighs my pocket down, slowly damaging the stitching!) and it winds me up having to find an ATM and withdraw £10 to buy something for £1.50. NFC will be awesome if a) there is no minimum limit, b) more places accept it, particularly places like little corner shops where you just need to grab lunch. However, I think it's best to integrate it into a regular credit/debit card rather than a phone for security reasons. It's also much cheaper to request a card with an NFC chip than buying a new phone with NFC.
I do agree the security does need to step up a bit to make it safer before it becomes common place. Yes more banks need to put it in CC's and the like. But if phone companies keep putting NFC in one day even cheap phones will have it. as i don't think anyone gets a phone cause it has NFC, I just know mine has it and I kinda want to use it.
As an American stationed in Korea, NFC is AWESOME! I'm not sure if they have it for the phones, but they have something similar to what IDS-IPS has talked about with the Mobile gas key fob. I have a Tmoney key fob that I can use for the trains, subways, buses, taxis, all most any form of transit. It is incredibly convenient and easy to use. If they accepted these little things at restaurants or bars I would leave the wallet at home and only go out with an ID and the keyfob. I really would love to see NFC take off on our phones, as long as the security was up to par. I imagine it would not be too difficult for someone to make a fake NFC reader and just scan and store numerous peoples' info.
Seems like a good idea until someone gets a hold of a device that can scan your phone/card thing and steal your money while walking by you in the street.
We have now reached a near cashless society, where almost every small shop now takes debit/credit card payments. It did take a great number of years for it to become a reality though, and I would expect something similar with NFC/virtual wallets via you phone. It will only become popular when a good percent of shops make use of this type of payment. I do like the idea though, although do have some security concerns.
Yeesh. Where I live more places don't take credit/debit than do. Nearfield communications seem pretty easy to intercept. I'm not so sure I like that idea.
Google wallet is ace - you still have to enter a pin before payments are accepted so there's some inherent security as there is with a standard card payment When I've used it (local pub) it's worked really well and is a great (and easy) method for payment. I really like the idea - just need more places to start using contact less. I'd say it's no less secure than standard payment methods (Google wallet uses specific encryption modules built into the phone/android iirc) - you can still get your card cloned in a shop - at least this way no one actually ever gets to take the phone off you....
The big hold up at the moment (If I remember correctly) for pushing out NFC tech in phones is the argument about what part of the phone is holding the details. Phone makers want it in the phone hardware, the telcos want it in the SIM card and the banks want it in a separate microSD card. Until they all decide what way they are all going to go there is not going to be massive rollout of NFC payments apart from using a bank card.
I don't like it as it's not secure. I'm sure we have all seen the news clips where someone with a laptop in a bag can walk past you and steal your details. When my bank issued me a contactless payment debit card I asked for a normal chip and pin card instead which they provided.
I'm all for it - the less cash I have to lug around with me the better. I hate cash, it makes it almost impossible for me to track my spending each month. Of course it needs to be secure - preferably with some kind of additional verification, such as a PIN. I take public transport, so that's pretty much the only thing left that I have to carry cash for. The local bus company has implemented a smart-card style payment system, but their implementation is p***-poor. You have to top the card up with cash; they don't accept debit card payments, even in their main office, and you can't set up some sort of direct debit or standing order payments. To make it even worse, the maximum top up transaction is £20. So in order for it to be useful for me, I have to take out £20 every day for 4 days and top the card up each day, then repeat the whole process the following month. That sounds like a pretty awesome system. If that was more widespread, as you mention - and implemented here in Britain! - it would be the ultimate form of payment for me. This is the key. If it's taken this long to get debit (or even credit) cards accepted in the vast majority of places, then how long will it take for everyone to update to NFC? It hasn't really been that long since chip & PIN was introduced, so I doubt very much that banks are willing to make the required investment in the large scale infrastructrue required. I suspect that it will remain a "trial" in a select few retailers with a select few banks for the time being.
Forget mobile phones, I'd be happy with a seperate device issued by the bank - even if it wasn't integrated into my debit card.
