Verizon Wireless is expected to get the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the coming weeks but it seems the phone will be debuting on the carier without a key feature. At the request of Verizon themselves, Google is removing the Google Wallet functionality from the phone.
This information was originally reported by Computerworld and then confirmed when a Google representative told CNET, "Verizon asked us not to include this functionality in the product." Verizon Wireless currently hasn't reponded to requests for comment.
The thought is that Verizon asked for the Google Wallet functionality to be removed because of Isis, a partnership between Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Isis is technically a competitor to Google Wallet but it does approach the idea a bit differently. The idea behind Isis is to offer a more neutral platform to allow credit card companies, retailers, and payment services (like PayPal) to offer their services to customers via a mobile platform. Isis is expect to launch at some point next year.
Google Wallet is the first service of its kind to come to market, allowing phones with near-field communications (NFC) to be used as a payment method via tap or swipe. Google Wallet launched this September and currently only Sprint supports the service, largely because they are the only carrier with the Nexus S 4G that has the NFC technology built into. Google Wallet was thought to become more widespread as more NFC enabled phones come to market.
The thing is, once Isis launches, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon might all request that the Google Wallet functionality be disabled from NFC enabled Android phones because those carriers will want to promote the technology that they partnered to create. It will be interesting to see if other Google Wallet capable phones are gimped at the request of the carrier moving forward.
Were you interested in Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus? Let us know what you think of this functionality being removed in the comments.
