Google is on a mission to embed all of its products within its other products, which we have seen with the implementation of Google+ on its homepage. This type of cross selling is an easy way to promote your own products for (nearly) free to individuals who already use your services.
What Google is now doing, or at least beta testing, is the creation of a Google Wallet account when setting up a new email address, via Robert Matei.
This new addition, which is prompted in the setup phase of an email account, makes it seem as if the Google email account is not free. We understand that Google wants to create as many Google Wallet accounts as possible but the mix and match of email to credit card seems like a strange marriage.
Time will tell if this feature actually gets included in the basic email setup but as Google continues to blend its products such as putting Google+ on its iconic homepage, we must wonder if it really is your first thought to also hand over your credit card number too?