Bitcoin could be used to pay for mobile games

Bitcoin is gaining ground as more companies take this form of digital currency more seriously. Mobile games developer Zynga is one of the companies that has recently announced its interest in Bitcoin. The company has announced that it will be conducting a payment test with Bitcoin as the major focus. The developer has teamed with BitPay, a Bitcoin service provider, and the two companies will be working to examine the possible uses of Bitcoin in mobile games.

Bitcoin popularity continues to rise

The current market value of Bitcoin stands at approximately $1,000. The value of the digital currency spiked after Zynga made its announcement. Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, however, as it is not regulated by any government or financial organization. As such, the value of Bitcoin can drop dramatically at any given time, or skyrocket depending on certain factors. A company like Zynga announcing its support for the digital currency, for example, can help the currency become more valuable.

In-game payments remain a focus of Zynga

The payment test will focus on Zynga’s mobile games, many of which are already quite popular with consumers. These games tend to include microtransactions, small payments that can be made to unlock additional content or new features in a mobile game. In-game purchases are quite common in mobile gaming, but relatively unpopular among consumers. Indeed, Zynga’s aggressive use of in-game purchases caused many people to abandon the company’s games, seeking out less expensive and more inclusive mobile games.

Volatility of Bitcoin may make it unpopular in gaming

Zynga is requesting that gamers provide feedback for its payment test. This feedback will be used to formulate a more cohesive payment strategy for the developer’s current and future games. Zynga has issued its support for Bitcoin because of the currency’s dramatic rise in popularity. The volatility of the currency may not win it any fans among consumers, however.

A newly released report has revealed that 25 percent of e-shoppers are using smartphones and tablets.

A report that has recently been issued by Monetate has shown that approximately one quarter of all of the global online shopping comes from mobile commerce traffic through smartphones, tablets, and other devices.

This represents a meaningful increase in the sector’s share, even within the last quarter, alone.

Monetate’s data showed that mobile commerce traffic increased by about 3 percent within the last quarter. Of that mobile device based shopping, tablets represent approximately two thirds. This means that tablet users are currently responsible for about 15 percent of all of the ecommerce activity that is going on at the moment.

The larger screen devices have been representing a larger proportion of mobile commerce traffic.

Smartphones, on the other hand, are still being used more often for online shopping purposes worldwide, but they make up about one third of the mcommerce share. This means that of all ecommerce activity, smartphone users are contributing about 10 percent.

When it comes to the average amount that users of these devices are spending when they make an order online, it is becoming clear that purchases are not limited exclusively to small items anymore. This reports data even indicates that the average order value made through tablets actually exceeded that of desktops and laptops within the last quarter. That said, PCs still hold their dominance over the online shopping marketplace, by quite a large majority.

The average order value made over a laptop or desktop computer was $136. Just slightly higher was the average order value made over tablets, which was $139. Finally, over smartphones, it was still a high number, though quite a bit lower than the orders made over PCs and tablets, having been $114.

In terms of specific brands and their contribution to mobile commerce traffic, it is Apple’s iPad that reigns supreme. That device is responsible for more than half of the online shopping done over tablets. That share of the tablet commerce category actually increased over the last quarter despite the fact that there is notably greater competition.