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Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

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Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#61

Post by yohui »

fl0wenol wrote: post #25
mchahn wrote: post #4

This makes it obvious how successful the Wallet Card was, I wonder how well Google Pay is doing. I would not have even heard about Google pay if I wasn't on HN, and I have used Android from the beginning.

They're canceling it _because_ it was successful. The issue is that by using virtual Master Cards they have to pay part of the interchange fee to Citi (or was it Bancorp?). Not only that, but if you were backing it by a credit card, then they ate the 2% fee that they get charged in the backend when hitting your real credit card. Plus the fact that they were essentially issuing you and everyone else short term credit…

Google Wallet will still be used to send money between Google users. In fact, that appears to be its only function going forward.

Money will be taken directly from the sender's debit card or checking account, and the recipient can deposit it in their checking account. The only features going away are the physical Wallet card and the ability to add to your Wallet balance.

According to /u/GraemeStanding, who appears to work on Android Pay (which is basically the old NFC payment portion of Google Wallet, split off and rebranded): https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/4crogp/just_got_an...

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#62

Post by sdegutis »

grahamburger wrote: post #6

This is the first of Google's product cancellations that will affect me personally. My wife and I have been using Google Wallet cards for budgeting - we transfer our spending money to the cards each week to help track our spending. Honestly there's no reason Google Wallet was superior for this - I expect Simple will solve our problems better anyway. Should have seen this coming when they split it off of Android Pay.

The only Google products that are guaranteed to stick around for the long term are Search and Gmail, and that's been pretty clear to see for the past decade. There's no good reason to get invested in any of their services with how often they pop up and how soon after they're shut down.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#63

Post by terinjokes »

grahamburger wrote: post #26
thought_alarm wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe Google Wallet works with any credit card because the payments go through Google, and then Google bills your card. NFC tokenized payments (e.g., Apple Pay and Android Pay) use an alternative credit card number issued by the bank. Payments do not go through Google or Apple, and only the bank knows that this alternate number is associated with your credit card account.

Google Wallet actually moved to a prepaid model - you can only spend money that you add. Android Pay works for me the way that you described Google Wallet working. I add a card number (seems like almost any card works, I have a MasterCard Amex and Visa Credit and Debit that all work) After I tap to pay Google charges my card for the amount. EDIT: I just looked back at one of the recent tap-to-pay purchases I made wit…

You have the old grandfathered cards (if you click through details, it will say it's a virtual card processed by Bancorp)

You can't add any new cards to Android Pay unless the bank supports tokenization, and payments are processed directly by them, no longer going through Google.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#64

Post by nommm-nommm »

jonesb6 wrote: post #27
blakesterz wrote: post #2

hmm, not even sure what that was. I know this sounds like sour grapes complaining so feel free to read it in Verruca Salt's voice if you want... This is why I am scared to try anything new from Google. I know why they do it, I know how they do things, I totally get it, but it does not make it better. I know they like trying new things. I know they're not afraid to get rid of things that aren't performing like they wa…

I wonder how the engineers on these projects feel. To work really hard on something just to have it thrown out due to "business reasons". Must suck.

I've been on a couple projects that got the axe. Doesn't bother me, I still got paid.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#65

Post by abritishguy »

dheera wrote: post #43

The Wallet Card was invented for places that don't take Android Pay, to pay in the form of a regular credit/debit card. Unfortunately, this is useless because it is the same level of (in)convenience as a credit card, and doesn't offer the 2-5% cashback that all the other cards I have do. Even if a store accepted NFC-based Android Pay, I'd probably still opt to pull out my plastic card for the cashback and consumer pr…

You can add you American Express (or whatever) card to Apple Pay, the protection and points are not in the plastic.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#66

Post by ocdtrekkie »

synunlimited wrote: post #54

One of my favorite things about the Wallet Card was the design. Having a clean front that always surprised people that haven't seen one before. I'd always get comments on it and asked if I worked at Google haha RIP YetAnotherGoogleService

It was the first time I saw one like this, but not the last. Citi has a flavor of card designed like this now, only thing on the front is the EMV chip and the logo.

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#67

Post by Animats »

dogma1138 wrote: post #21

Am I the only one who hears about like 75% of Google's products for the first time only when they issue EOL/EOS notices?

That's been my experience too. Google discontinuation notices come up on YC regularly, and I've heard of maybe half the products. The other half I've heard bad things about.

Except Google Code Search. I liked Google Code Search. But there's no useful way to hang ads on it. They could have used it for recruiting. People doing searches for code in difficult areas might be worth talking to. Google has tried that. At one time, if you searched for "proof of correctness", you got a Google recruiting ad. I was once contacted because I posted something in comp.lang.c++. (Unfortunately the person who contacted me was so clueless I told him to put me on their do-not-call list.)

Re: Google Shutting Down Wallet Card

#70

Post by arawde »

wyldfire wrote: post #51
noobiemcfoob wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 for Simple!

Tell me more: what's this service about?

It's a bank startup which doesn't have physical locations. They're partnered with Bancorp, so your account is backed by FDIC, and they have a large number of ATMs. You can read more here https://www.simple.com/
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