PhoneTalk

We’ve been hearing about mobile payment options for at least a couple of years now. The idea being that you can go into a store and use your cell phone to purchase products, just like you use a credit card. In fact, there have been a few pilot programs and features that allow you to do this. (You can read more about the different type of mobile payment options in this CNET article.) Today, Google threw its hat in the mobile payment ring.

So what’s the product? Essentially, it’s a way to use your cell phone as a credit card. If you’ve seen the PayPass icon at stores or in taxis that works with a PayPass credit card, then you get the idea. Only difference is with Google Wallet instead of waving a PayPass card, just launch the app on your phone, enter your Google Wallet PIN, and tap the cell phone on the reader. The cell phone doesn’t even need a data connection to work. No need to pull out a credit card from a wallet just use your Android cell phone.

The service is currently only available on Sprint’s Nexus S 4G Android smartphone and you need a CitiCard MasterCard to make payments. It also can’t be used everywhere, only where you see one of the logos below. You can find out where it’s available near you by clicking this link and entering your zip code.

The fact that Google has gotten in the mobile payment game means that this feature will likely be more on consumers’ radars. However, until it’s rolled out to more places, phones, and offered by more credit card options adoption could be a bit slow. As mentioned earlier, there are quite a few players in this market and the good news is that I suspect we’ll see more options coming soon.

What do you think? Is this a feature you want in your cell phone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Topics: In The Know Smart phones Android Google Apps