We've known about ISIS, a mobile payment system backed by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, since late in 2010, but it appears that the service is finally nearing launch. Speaking to Bloomberg, VeriFone Systems CEO Doug Bergeron said that ISIS is set to debut in both Salt Lake City and Austin in September. VeriFone makes payment terminals and is taking part in the ISIS project. An ISIS spokesperson would only say that the service is set to debut this summer.
Keeping up with the ISIS news, the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II recently began receiving a software update that's related to the payment service. The update, which is Android 4.0.3 and software version T989UVLH1, brings with it some unnamed bug fixes as well as an "ISIS/NFC update." It's available for download using Samsung's Kies PC software, which you can find out more about right here. The Galaxy S II is one of four T-Mobile phones with NFC support (Galaxy S III, Amaze 4G and Bold 9900 are the others), and Brad Duea, T-Mobile's SVP of product management, says in a new blog post that Magenta has "many more on the way."
Considering how long ISIS has been around, it's good to hear that the service may finally be about to launch, even if it's only in two cities to start with. With the VeriFone CEO spilling the beans on a September launch for ISIS and the T-Mobile Galaxy S II getting an ISIS-related update, it certainly seems like the payment system is indeed getting closer to its official debut. Now we just need an announcement from ISIS itself with a launch date to mark down on our calendars. When that comes out, you'll be the first ones we tell. How many of you are excited about mobile payment services like ISIS?
UPDATE: According to a MasterCard PDF on the company's mobile partner website, there are currently seven U.S. handsets approved to work with PayPass and ISIS. That list includes the HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE and Samsung Galaxy S III on Verizon, the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III on AT&T and the HTC Amaze 4G, Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III on T-Mobile.
Via The Verge, Bloomberg, TmoNews, T-Mobile support, T-Mobile Issues and Insights, Droid-Life, MasterCard (PDF)
