Sprint Touch Wallet

Last week we heard that Sprint was developing their own NFC-based mobile wallet application, and today an insider has passed along to us a couple presentation slides to let us know that it's real. We don't yet have any specifics about participating financial partners, but based on the screens we see McDonald's, Barnes and Noble, Macy's, Target, Best Buy and others look to be on board (or at the very least used as examples) with either loyalty cards, or they'll accept full payments.

From what we can tell, it looks very much like Google's own Wallet app -- which for now has Sprint as its lone official carrier partner. Using a passcode, Touch Wallet is unlocked and you'll be presented with a screen of options, or if the phone is tapped to a card reader you'll see your credit cards presented. When it's all done, everything locks back up. Yeah, that sounds pretty familiar to everyone with a Nexus S 4G, doesn't it?

The biggest and most important questions are still unanswered. Namely, what bank partners will Sprint have, when will we see it unveiled, and will there be any extra security or lock-down on Touch Wallet enabled phones to keep things like this from happening. Nobody with those answers is talking just yet, but we expect to hear more sometime soon. 

Could this be the one for everyone to get behind? Maybe. With all the competing "standards" one will have to rise to the top before NFC wallets become more than a novelty in the US. We'll all just have to wait it out.

We've got one more pic after the break.

Thanks, Anon!

Sprint Touch Wallet

 
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There are 20 comments. Add yours.

Impulses says:

I'm seeing tons of reports that Google Wallet won't activate on the EVO 4G LTE right now even tho it activated fine on review units... Possibly because of this? Can anyone get an official statement from Google/Sprint?

Frankly this sounds like Wimax all over again, the other three big carriers are lining up behind ISIS, and Sprint randomly decides to build their own system, meanwhile Google's system is flailing in the wind already.

Ugh... I just hope we're actually able to transition from one to the other without bricking the secure NFC element, it's already proved to be pretty fragile (wiping without resetting G Wallet kills it for instance).

l00natic71 says:

It activated fine on mine. I don't know what he common thread on people that can't activate it. If it's of any help, my model is HT24

dakkiy says:

I spoke with a rep from Google Wallet support, they said that their perfomaing an upgrade to make sure transactions are smoother and more secure with the HTC EVO 4G LTE. Over 75% of Evo users are affected. Hopefully the it start working soon enough.

edward0348 says:

Sprint better get concentrated on build a improve network!. In New York, even metro pcs and t-mobile have a faster network that Sprint has.

DougB541 says:

You do know MetroPCS uses Sprints network right?

I just want one to come up on top.

mech1164 says:

That's not sayin much either way.

DougB541 says:

Well, in NYC i get 800kbps-1.2Mbps most of the time. But i also have excellent service.

Maybe for roaming, but not completely.

Jimmy_Jo says:

Isn't Boost and Virgin Mobile using Sprint? MetroPCS is on it's own using some slightly outdated 3G tech and LTE from the same frequency as AT&T though they are not affiliated.

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ab30494 says:

they already concentration on improving the network, This thing called network vision. they are rebuilding their entire network from the ground up

l00natic71 says:

The term "from the ground up" gets thrown a lot and I don't thin it means what people think it mean. To me, "from the ground up" would mean scraping the current network completely. From what I read, they are adding back haul capacity and more towers, not scrapping the current ones.

rawvega says:

I never get comments like this; as though it's impossible for a multi-BILLION dollar corporation to do more than ONE thing at a time. We'll see I guess....

jcastagnino says:

Metro PCS does NOT use Sprints network. They have their own CDMA network in NY and the largest LTE network out of all the carriers in NY. They have a roaming agreement with Sprint that's it.

DougB541 says:

I stand corrected.

pattavino says:

I have the HTC evo lte and have had no problems with Google wallet.Even got my free $10.

jbozak says:

Same here. So far I've just used it on a couple vending machines without issue. Might start using it more when I figure out which stores have the capability.

Its been down for me ever since the (US customs adjusted) launch day. Google says its a problem on their end when I called. For many, myself included, Google Wallet can't even get activated on our devices

Synycalwon says:

NFC is like a lead balloon. Hard to get off the ground and when you do it won't stay up for very long. At best, it'll be a niche product and will never challenge debit/credit cards or good ol' cash. I'd bet money on it! ;P

As to Sprint, they should put all their focus on improving their network PERIOD!

ack154 says:

It could be a nice feature... if the carriers would stop being dicks about it. There's no good reason AT&T could give me that I should not be able to use Google Wallet. I've been hearing about their competitor for a year now and have seen NOTHING on it. Now rumblings of Sprint making their own. When will that show its face?

Right around the time Google Wallet is killed off by the carriers and no one has interest in NFC anymore because they killed it.

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cranstone says:

We've have this exact solution for years. Works on all Mobile phones, any carrier network and you can add loyalty card plugins. If you want to see it run on Android you can download it from our web site. 3pmobile dot com

Peter