Google Reportedly in Talks to Buy Mobile-Payments Company Softcard

Google may be stocking its war chest to compete with Apple in mobile payments. The internet giant is reportedly in talks to acquire Softcard, a company that helps people to pay for things using their mobile devices, according to reports by TechCrunch and The Wall Street Journal. The deal for the payments company — a joint venture between carriers AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile — is said to be for less than $100 million. Both Google and Softcard declined to comment on the possible sale.