MasterCard payment app due for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone
updated 12:45 pm EDT, Mon June 27, 2011
CSI and MasterCard work on multi-platform payments
New leaks Monday have raised eyebrows with MasterCard and CSI uniting on a new mobile payment app. CSI Virtual MasterCard will let Android, BlackBerry, iPad, and iPhone users pay with their phones instead of plastic. It's unknown from the Engadget mention whether or not it will use NFC wireless or if it will work purely through software.
If it requires or can benefit from NFC, the app may be a clue as to future device plans. Both the Google Nexus S and Nexus S 4G, as well as upcoming Sony Ericsson phones, support NFC. BlackBerrys will only start supporting NFC once the Bold 9900 ships in late summer, and Apple hasn't mentioned any plans outside of rumors of an NFC iPhone 5.
CSI and MasterCard could just be using a software-based solution. However, Google Wallet usually depends on NFC to work and only turns to software alone if the hardware isn't an option.
The app should go live in July, before either Apple or RIM will be ready to show their own hardware.
TAGS :
iPhone, industry, Google, Android, BlackBerry, RIM, mobile phones, Apple, iPad, MasterCard, Google Wallet, CSI
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2011
NFC?
Of course it will be software, iPhones does not have NFC. When google said they were willing to make "Google wallet" for iPhone if they get NFC chip, google was afraid of loosing their market because iPhone has a payment system with very low level high frequency sound to validate the transaction.
Adding another chip is adding more power consumption and make the device bulkier (just a little bit). Also, another chip is another processor interruption busy that you can be using for something more important like notifications.