A recent survey has shown that people in Canada love their mobile devices.

According to the results that have been published from a recent Canadian smartphone trends survey, owners of these devices have been using them to do everything from checking the weather, completing their banking tasks, and even ringing in the New Year.

Almost half of the people in that country feel that virtual communication will replace interactions in person.

The survey was conducted online by Ipsos and it focused on Canadian mobile trends, as well as those from 26 other countries around the globe. It asked 19,000 respondents about the apps that they use the most frequently. When it came to the applications that were most often used in Canada, 47 percent said that they had weather forecasts at the very top of their usage list.

These Canadian smartphone trends didn’t come as much of a surprise to many people.

As people in that country are often focused on discussing – or complaining about – the weather, and as the Christmas season saw a massive ice storm blanketing the center and eastern portion of the country, it is no mystery as to why many people would be looking to those applications the most frequently, particularly over the last little while.

At the opposite end of the scale, device users in Saudi Arabia used weather apps the least frequently, said the survey. Though people in Canada did prefer those applications, it was the people in South Africa who used them the most frequently, as 56 percent used them on a regular basis. The report also indicated that people with a higher income appear to use weather apps the most frequently.

Another poll, also performed by Ipsos, suggested that the U.S. is the largest downloader of gaming and music apps for both tablets and for smartphones. When it came to weather applications, they were third most used.

The Ipsos research also pointed out the Canadian smartphone trends in which 33 percent of device users in that country use their banking apps more than music, fitness, travel and news. Among the participants, 42 percent said that they didn’t use any of the apps within the 8 categories defined by the survey.

Mobile payments firm launches new partnerships

Monitise, a developer of mobile payments technology, has announced that it has secured a partnership with a leading bank in the United Kingdom as well as extending a commercial contract with one of the country’s leading financial organizations. The company notes that the demand for mobile payments technology has been growing dramatically over the past year. With 2013 over, many retailers and other businesses have been exposed to the benefits of mobile commerce and these organizations are showing their eagerness to embrace the mobile space in 2014.

Mobile commerce continues to grow

Mobile payments are not only growing more popular among businesses. Consumers have become quite interested in mobile commerce and the demand for new services is beginning to reach new heights. Companies are beginning to feel the pressure to accommodate consumer demand or risk losing ground to their competitors that are more mobile-conscious. Mobile commerce is growing at a quick pace due to the importance smartphones and tablets have come to play in the daily lives of consumers.

Monitise has high hopes for 2014 and beyond

Monitise expects to see its revenue increase by 50% in 2014 as it forms new partnerships in Europe and the U.S. The firm expects 2014 and 2015 to be major years in terms of mobile commerce, but also notes that it will likely see fierce competition emerge onto the scene. Companies like Square, which currently only operates in North America, have established a strong presence and major retail organizations like eBay and Alibaba are beginning to take mobile payments more seriously. While Monitise is behind the technology that is used by several large brands interested in mobile commerce, it is just one among several similar firms that are vying for attention.

Uncertainty lingers in the mobile commerce space

The future of mobile commerce is often painted as bright and fortuitous, but there are still many uncertainties and risks that exist in the sector. Security threats abound as malicious groups become more focused on mobile commerce and stealing financial information from businesses and consumers alike. The capabilities of mobile commerce platforms and how they provide a positive experience to consumers is also called into question quite frequently as retailers and other groups continue to struggle with their adaptation to the mobile space.