Mobile payments initiative meets success

Homeland Stores, a regional supermarket grocery chain based in the U.S., has concluded a pilot program for its mobile payments initiative. The SwiftScan program, as it is called, was initially launched in June of this year and was meant to demonstrate the benefits of mobile payments in the retail sector. The technology for the retailer’s mobile payments platform comes from Double Beam, which has significant experience in the mobile commerce sector.

Application uses QR codes as alternative to NFC

The SwiftScan application is meant to allow users to pay for groceries using their smartphones. The application functions in the same way that typical mobile payments services do, facilitating transactions through the use of authentication systems designed to verify the identity of its user. SwiftScan also makes use of QR codes, which are becoming a relatively common mobile commerce tool. The codes are typically seen only in marketing, but have been gaining traction in the mobile payments sector as an alternative to NFC technology.

Retailer to expand availability of mobile payments app

The pilot program took place at 20 of Homeland Stores’ locations. The program has been considered a success, which means the retailer will be expanding the availability of its mobile payments application to 26 additional locations by the end of October. The company notes that consumers have responded very well to the application and the services it provides, providing the retail with sufficient encouragement to continue pursuing mobile payments aggressively.

Mobile commerce continues to gain ground with retailers

Mobile payments services are becoming more common among retailers as consumers begin showing more favor for mobile commerce in general. Technology and financial firms like Google and PayPal are not the only ones offering mobile commerce platforms to consumers. Retailers are developing their own platforms in the hopes of establishing a strong presence in the mobile payments field. Thus far, few retailers have been able to accomplish this goal, but the mobile commerce field is still relatively young.

The service will be offered by Sprint as well as Rogers Communications in Canada

Rogers Communications and American wireless carrier, Sprint, have announced in their latest technology news that they will be bringing high speed internet access to vehicles very soon, as they see a tremendous opportunity for growth within that market.

According to the carriers, the service will become available quite soon within new vehicles.

That said, the companies didn’t include pricing in their technology news announcement, nor did they share the cost of the project or the dates on which they expect to launch. The statement was issued jointly by these two companies, which are among the largest telecommunications networks in North America.

One spokesperson from Rogers has confirmed that the technology news of the launch will be within a year from now.

The technology news release explained that the service would become available from auto manufacturers that use the Velocity system from Sprint in Canada, and will leverage the wireless networks from Rogers in order to make sure that vehicles remain connected while they’re on the road.

These new vehicles will be manufactured using a SIM card design that is machine-to-machine (M2M) for wireless connectivity that is built right in. According to the vice president of Rogers, Mansell Nelson, “I think people are trying to figure out from an automotive context, or an in-car context, how you make these things relevant to what the person is doing in the car at that time.”

The vehicles manufactured with Sprint Velocity – which is already being deployed in American vehicles but that is now coming to Canada as well – will provide passengers with access to driving directions, vehicle diagnostics, weather alerts, sports scores, and news through the use of a touchscreen built into the dash.

The service also provides in-car internet connectivity for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Rogers explained that it is providing this service in response to the desire of Canadians to “be connected from anywhere, at any time.”

Critics of this technology news have drawn attention to the fact that this could increase driver distractibility. That issue is certain to appear more than once, particularly in areas such as the province of Ontario, where it is illegal to drive with a mobile device in your hand, even if it is turned off.