Google patents SMS payment system
Whether this is a sign of things to come from the "upcoming" Google Phone, or just a good idea remains to be seen, but we’ll take what we can get. Google has recently been granted a U.S. patent for a system that will allow mobile phone users to pay for goods and services by way of their wireless handset. Payments can be made at vending machines, business, and other points of sale. The process appears to involve sending a text to unique shortcode. The SMS message itself contains all of the relevant information, including merchant identification and payment amount. Once received, the product(s) is as good as paid for. Sounds like a short and sweet method of buying those new "sodas" without taking your wallet out of your pocket.
Sounds like it has potential. However, they have to be sure it doesn’t take more effort than swiping a card or dropping change in the machine. I saw a Food Network story of vending machines accepting mobile phone payments and it took way too many steps. I’d use cash instead if I had it.
FWIW – I think you mean “paid”, not “payed”. “Payed” is a nautical term. (Re: “Once received, the product(s) is as good as payed for.”)
this could be big if they can get people & phone companies to use it. Paypal should have been trying this for years, haven’t Japanese been paying with phones for awhile now? Well better late than never, I also think that some Citibank people have had something like this for awhile now but google’s ability to make this widespread would be good.
Its a great idea but one that’s been done. Companies pike japan’s ntt docomo already used the system. Its been really successful but you need to convince merchants to get the sensor to make payment. Much like you barely see the touch n go for the credit cards, this is going to take a while to be widely used in the future.
Not really innovative. Not an original idea.
Much like you barely see the touch n go for the credit cards, this is going to take a while to be widely used in the future.
Unlike touch and go credit cards, which your bank would have to issue you, anyone with a cell phone would be able to use it. People said the same thing about Camera phones, now try and find a phone that doesn’t have one.
Google scares me.
Google scares me.
Microsoft scares me worse!!
It sure is sveet, though.