Google confirms that Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus will not support Google Wallet; Verizon responds

A Google representative recently confirmed that Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus will not ship with support for Google Wallet. “Verizon asked us not to include this functionality in the product,” a Google spokesperson told CNET. We’re not at all surprised by the news. BGR confirmed in November that Verizon is working to include its own solution instead of using Google Wallet. “We’re working to provide expanded services that will provide the best security and user experience in the market around m-commerce,” a Verizon Wireless spokesperson told BGR at the time. “We expect to provide access to an open wallet when those goals are achieved.” Verizon said Tuesday that it is still in talks with Google and that it does not block specific applications. “Google Wallet is different from other widely-available m-commerce services,” Verizon explained. “Google Wallet does not simply access the operating system and basic hardware of our phones like thousands of other applications. Instead, in order to work as architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones.” ISIS — a mobile payment initiative created by Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile USA in partnership with VISA, American Express, MasterCard and Discover — will likely power the eWallet solution that finally does make its way to Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus at some point in the future. Unlike Google, however, ISIS has yet to make a NFC solution publicly available. 

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