Google flips switch on Instant Buy for iOS apps, roots deeper into Apple's mobile platform
Google on Wednesday announced iOS support for Instant Buy, the Google Wallet-based authentication and payment system that lets customers bypass shop and make purchases with as few clicks as possible.
With the Instant Buy API for iOS, which leverages Google Wallet and the Internet giant's authentication backend, companies have a better chance of converting app visitors to sales, says Google.
A major hurdle for conversion is typing in billing information like credit card numbers, shipping details and more, a process made more inconvenient on small-screen mobile devices. Instant Buy offers users a streamlined checkout process that in some cases takes as few as two clicks.
The system works by storing the required payment and shipping information on Google's servers, which then serves up the data to merchants after a user clicks the "pay" button. Sellers can then transfer the information to a payment processing service of their choosing.
As noted by Google, merchants and developers selling physical goods and services can integrate Instant Buy without facing any fees, though sellers have to sign up and be vetted before applying the API to their apps. Google also offers its own fraud monitoring service for accepted merchants.
Google Wallet Instant Buy has been available on certain mobile websites and the Android platform for one year and will launch on iOS with partners B&H, Eat24, Fancy, Newegg, Sionic Mobile and Wish.com. According to Google, most launch partners already have the service installed in their mobile and Android storefronts.
Apple does not yet have a dedicated wallet service for apps, but is making the process of online purchasing a bit easier in the upcoming iOS 8 with credit card scanning in Safari. The company is thought to be working on a more comprehensive payments tool that may incorporate the Touch ID fingerprint recognition system, but the rumored solution's delivery date is unknown.
With the Instant Buy API for iOS, which leverages Google Wallet and the Internet giant's authentication backend, companies have a better chance of converting app visitors to sales, says Google.
A major hurdle for conversion is typing in billing information like credit card numbers, shipping details and more, a process made more inconvenient on small-screen mobile devices. Instant Buy offers users a streamlined checkout process that in some cases takes as few as two clicks.
The system works by storing the required payment and shipping information on Google's servers, which then serves up the data to merchants after a user clicks the "pay" button. Sellers can then transfer the information to a payment processing service of their choosing.
As noted by Google, merchants and developers selling physical goods and services can integrate Instant Buy without facing any fees, though sellers have to sign up and be vetted before applying the API to their apps. Google also offers its own fraud monitoring service for accepted merchants.
Google Wallet Instant Buy has been available on certain mobile websites and the Android platform for one year and will launch on iOS with partners B&H, Eat24, Fancy, Newegg, Sionic Mobile and Wish.com. According to Google, most launch partners already have the service installed in their mobile and Android storefronts.
Apple does not yet have a dedicated wallet service for apps, but is making the process of online purchasing a bit easier in the upcoming iOS 8 with credit card scanning in Safari. The company is thought to be working on a more comprehensive payments tool that may incorporate the Touch ID fingerprint recognition system, but the rumored solution's delivery date is unknown.
Comments
NO THANK YOU.
Yes, even Google will benefit from Apple opening up their Touch ID APIs.
Not on my account, they won't. LOL
Why can't Google process the payment itself and credit the merchant? That way we only have to worry about Google, not about merchant as well!
This feels a half baked pointless solution! And in a month or two, Apple will launch a much better version, leaving Google's implementation as landfill.
There is no way I would trust them with my credit card info.
Because...??
Because...??
Because he doesn't have an undying love for Google like you do and wants to keep his money from them?
Where did you read Google Play apps aren't safe? In general they're about as "safe" as those coming from Apple's App Store as far as I've read.
As for handling payments I'm not aware of Google-held CC holder info being hacked unlike dozens of retailers both brick and on-line, hotels from Hilton to Sheraton, and banks including Bank of America and Chase that you and others have happily offered your credit cards and financial info to. IMO Google would be one of the more secure options.
Why am I going to use Google to buy through Amazon? Isn't Amazon like 99.999% of what people buy online?
I don't like the idea of giving Google my credit card information. Google has enough freaking information about me. They don't need the security code of my VISA.
If not, they are an information aggregator. If I process all my online purchase payments through them, they will have a more complete picture of my purchasing activities than I am willing to provide. It's bad enough as it is with my bank, credit card company having much of that but at least they don't use that info "for my benefit."
Further why do they need that information? I am also providing the same information to the vendor, presumably. And, if not, it becomes just another cost to the vendor.
Would love to read data on Google Checkout, it was going to be revolutionary before the name change to Wallet
The whole payment gateway transaction process is about to be shaken up with the new tokeniztion protocol which will be supported worldwide with merchants, payment gaeways, banks, etc. Pretty soon Google and Apple will have no access to user data or credit card number. It is a new protocol to help prevent identity and credit card theft. It is supposed to be up and running in a couple months. It basically means that each transaction has a unique ID that is only good for a limited time and then expires, thus making data breaches worthless because they only contain expired data.
Gosh, first I'd heard of it but seems like you're spot on. Thanks!
I haven't learned how reoccurring payments such as FastTrack toll road or Adobe Cloud payments are supposed to work under the new system.