Test Driving the Future of Payments

Now that we’ve launched the first version of Google Wallet on Sprint, I thought it might be interesting to share my experiences with Google Wallet as an early tester.

Having worked with a number of our merchant partners on their plans to accept Google Wallet, I was very excited when my Sprint Nexus S 4G phone arrived so I could use Google Wallet in their stores for myself. Over the last few months, I’ve had a lot of fun testing Google Wallet in various locations, and even I’ve been surprised by just how convenient it can be to use your phone as your wallet.

For example, I was running late for work last Friday, so I hailed one of New York’s ubiquitous yellow cabs. Because every one of them accepts Google Wallet, when I reached the office I was able to punch in a tip on the cab’s LCD screen, tap my phone on the terminal to pay, and hop out. I was already checking email on my phone on the way to work, so even with the added security measure of entering my PIN on the phone, this was far easier than using my free hand to fish my wallet out of my pocket to find cash or a card.

Later, at lunchtime, I had a craving for an ice cold Coke. Google may be well-known for free food at our offices, but in the name of science, I decided to use one of the high-tech vending machines we have had on loan from Coca-Cola. Nothing tastes quite so good as the future of commerce. And if you’ve ever tried to feed a crumpled old bill into a vending machine, you can appreciate why this is one of my favorite ways that Google Wallet is more convenient.

Finally, on the way home, I stopped into the CVS across the street from the office to replenish some much-needed household supplies. A bottle of laundry detergent, a tube of toothpaste, and a pack of gum later, I tapped my phone at the checkout counter and completed my third transaction of the day without using my traditional wallet.


Without even putting my phone away after using it to make a purchase, I called my girlfriend to make a plan to meet for dinner, and headed home. I wished I could have used Google Wallet on the subway as well—Google Wallet isn’t everywhere yet—but we are adding new merchants all the time. For example, OfficeMax just upgraded over one hundred of their stores to fully support Google Wallet, including SingleTap™ technology that lets you redeem coupons and apply the MaxPerks Rewards card at the same time you make a purchase.

If you have a Sprint Nexus S 4G phone (the first phone to support Google Wallet), now you too can experience paying with your phone in thousands of locations nationwide. Or you can buy the phone today on the web or at your nearest Sprint store.

As a final note, I did encounter a couple of instances during testing when my Google Wallet was not recognized, and I had to fall back on a plastic card. The team is hard at work fixing any such problems as we discover them. We are eager to hear your feedback to help us continue to improve the experience, so please get in touch once you’ve had a chance to try it out!

Posted by Philippe Dauman Jr., Commerce Strategic Partnerships