[Q] NFC compatibility: ISIS, Google Wallet, and embedded SE

[Timuu-kun]

I know there are several other threads that deal with the titular separate topics...I even started one myself before the phone was released. However, I wanted to make this thread to pool all the relevant questions about the general topic of NFC on this phone under one roof, as it were, since almost none of the following questions have been answered very thoroughly.

1) What is the status of ISIS compatibility on this phone? Version 1.09, I can personally confirm, works fine with the Verizon variant, but the app has recently been marked as incompatible on Google Play. The ISIS webpage only lists the AT&T variant of the Note 3 as compatible with the service, which seems inconsistent. Verizon also doesn't seem to have updated their branded version of ISIS to 1.9 alongside T-Mobile and AT&T, so it's extremely confusing, and I want to know whether the app will continue to be supported on the Verizon Note 3 or not?

2) What is the status of Google Wallet tap-to-pay? It's fairly obvious that the normal, non-NFC version of Google Wallet works properly, but I haven't heard anything definitive on the status of bringing the tap-to-pay version to the Verizon variant. One thread suggested that it may be more difficult to do than simply changing the build.prop to the Sprint version and adding the required SE authorization keys, so what's the status?

3) Related to question 2: Does the Verizon variant of the Note 3 even include an embedded secure element? It's fairly easy to acquire an SE-enabled SIM card from Verizon, but one thread awhile back suggested that the phone may not even include an embedded SE, and also suggested that that was what was holding up (or, rather, making impossible) this phone's Google Wallet port. Can anyone with authority on this phone's hardware answer this question?

Again, sorry if this seems redundant--these are just loose ends, and I thought it would be useful to bring them into one thread for coherence.

 

[cybhunter]

Reading up on some of the other threads the non Sprint variants do not (by default) have the required libraries flashed (Google wallet fix for SGS3 US variants AT&T, T-MOBILE, US Cellular, VERIZON, etc), although since the hardware is the same, flashing the required libraries (properly) should not bork the phone. From this question 3 could be answered as "There should be a hardware based secure element in the phone".

For question 1) it is quite possible that ISIS may be on the downslope. From September 20, 2013, PC Mag was reporting that Capital One was dropping supporting for ISIS Capital One Drops Support for Isis Mobile Wallet with a zdnet report on a CTIA panel discussion Mobile payments: Are we there yet? CTIA panel talks up Isis.

For question 2) it's hard to tell at the current moment. The reason being is obviously about the physical secure element required. With the latest version of android (4.4 'KitKat'), Google collaborated with Doug Yeager and Ted Fifelski (of SimplyTapp) to bring Host Card Emulation to the official builds of Android (Google gets around the carriers with Host Card Emulation for NFC payments).

Back in 2012 SimplyTapp proposes secure elements in the cloud/ both of these gentlemen approached the problem of the inaccessible secure element by 'using the cloud' (or more technically accurate, an active data connection) to emulate the secure element. The only caveat was because the official builds of android didn't include the libraries required for HCE (ie ISOPcdA, ISOPcdB, etc) that was built from starch via Doug Yeager (GitHub Repo for the NFC libaries) could only be included in forked, unofficial builds of Android, most notably the CyanogenMod Roms (Emulating a PKI smart card with CyanogenMod 9.1).

With Google taking the cloud approach it is possible that Wallet may eventually work on all NFC phones running 4.4 (and hopefully on unofficial builds including the CyanogenMod Roms.


Hope this helps
Joe

 

[deputydog95]

Does the Note 2 google wallet hack to enable Tap to Pay work on the N3?

 

[apraetor]

Does the Note 2 google wallet hack to enable Tap to Pay work on the N3?

No, unfortunately. If you have a Sprint Note 3 then it already works, and if you have an AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile model then Host Card Emulation isn't supported at all by the NFC chip. Kind of seriously aggravating that they went with a different NFC chip in those models, if you ask me. I really love the Note 3, but I absolutely will not be getting a Note 4 unless HCE is supported by the hardware AND the software; if it's available on some carriers, but not on the AT&T models, then I'll almost certainly change carriers.