Google Wallet hasn’t yet taken off, but it’s still around, and rumors have swirled that Google might make an actual credit card to go along with it. But as All Things D reports, Google will not, for the time being anyway, launch its own credit card. The report says that it was announced in the very same internal memo that revealed the project’s lead, Osama Bedier, would be leaving Google.
Many of Google’s partners seem disappointed by the news, as they were expecting to see the card unveiled at next week’ I/O conference. Though Google will still be showcasing the Wallet update, it will be devoid the physical card. And, according to some internal sources, the update was programmed to include the card, so whether it now needs to be removed prior to the release is still yet to be seen.
It’s surprising that the project was pulled, since Google could stand to profit considerably by being able to track even more of the things its users purchase. Already it can keep tabs by monitoring Google Play transactions, Google Wallet purchases, and Google Checkout buys.
One theory behind the decision has been pointed to CEO Larry Page’s huge disappointment when he was given a demo last week and faced a series of glitches that could have made for an embarrassing launch. Page was said to be on the fence about the idea from the get go, so it’s not surprising that he’d pull the plug if the results were sub-par.
While the card may be dead, we can still expect to see updates made to the list of merchants Wallet is compatible with, plus an improvement to its rewards, offers, and loyalty points. But to find out what those updates are, and who those new vendors may be, we’ll have to wait until the conference next week.
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