Google Wallet co-founding engineer Rob von Behren has left Google to join its competitor Square - a startup that has created a device that helps facilitate and accept credit card payments on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android phone.
Von Behren disclosed his decision via his LinkedIn profile, but has not revealed what position he would be taking up in Square. However, as per reports in the NFC Times, he will help Square expand its existing products.
Von Behren said he had not anticipated that he would be leaving Google.
"When I left the Google Wallet project in January, I fully expected to stop working in payments but to remain at Google," he told NFC Times. "After meeting the team at Square, however, I decided to do the opposite. Square is doing some great things in the payment space. They have a strong leadership team and a culture that fosters innovation."
The move suggests that Square may be considering to give NFC (Near Field Communication) a chance, something it has downplayed in the past. NFC technology allows you to use your phones to make purchases with just a tap or a wave of your device.
NFC Times also reports on differences in the Google Wallet team over what strategy to take for the NFC wallet, as it's struggling to sign up partners. One of the main issues seems to be how app developers and service providers would relate to it. This and some other decisions, created a rift between some members of the Google Wallet team and Bedier, the vice president of payments and Wallet head.
Google Wallet, a virtual wallet that contains all your credit cards and offers that you can redeem from your phone, makes payment easy - both online and at a store's check-out counter. Rob Von Behren's departure from the company follows a string of other exits, including his former colleague Jonathan Wall, product head Marc Freed-Finnigan and now reportedly, former director of engineering for Google Wallet Andrew Zaeske.
Von Behren had worked at Google for almost 8 years and on Google Wallet since 2009.