Tag: felica

Sony plans to launch its own mobile payments solution

| October 22, 2015

Sony will be launching FeliCa in Asia

Sony may become the next technology company to become involved in mobile payments. While Sony has no plans to compete with others in the smartphone market, it does have plans to launch its own mobile payments technology in Asia. The company is expected to launch this technology in the public transportation industry of Asia, allowing consumers to use their mobile devices to pay their transit fare. The system that Sony is working on is known as FeliCa.

Mobile payments are expanding throughout Asia

Mobile payments have become very popular in Asia, where many consumers are beginning to use their smartphones and tablets to purchase products and shop online. They are also using their devices to purchase products in physical stores that support mobile transactions. When it comes to public transportation, consumers are looking for more convenient ways to pay their fares, and they smartphones may be the best solution to this issue.

FeliCa will allow consumers to pay for public transit services

Mobile Payments - Sony StoreSony will be rolling out FeliCa in Indonesia as early as next spring. Southeast Asia, in particular, holds a great deal of promise when it comes to mobile payments. The mobile networks of this region are expanding quickly and public transportation services are becoming more advanced. As this trend continues, more consumers are expected to become involved in mobile payments. Supporting mobile transactions may help Sony establish a strong position in the mobile commerce market.

Sony could leverage its experience in mobile payments to compete with other companies

While FeliCa will be the first mobile payments system launched by Sony, the company has actually been involved in mobile commerce for a decade. Chips that facilitate mobile transactions have been used in Hong Kong’s public transportation space, where consumers use this technology to pay for transit services. Sony intends to compete with companies like Apple and Samsung which have already launched their own mobile payments platforms. These two companies have already established a lead in the mobile commerce market, but Sony may be able to leverage its expertise and prove to be a challenge to both these companies.

Apple may fall behind in Japanese mobile payments

| September 16, 2014

Apple could have trouble engaging consumers in the Japanese market

Apple is having trouble finding traction in the Japanese mobile payments space. The country served as the launch for a pilot project from the company. The project focused on mobile payments, using the iTunes platform as a way to make purchases. Recently, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 6, which will be the company’s first official foray into the field of mobile commerce. In Japan, the device was received with relatively modest interest.

Mobile commerce has been around for more than a decade in Japan

Mobile payments have been around in Japan for more than a decade. The country is often considered to be the birthplace of mobile commerce, largely due to the high adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices among Japanese consumers. As mobile devices became more common, Japanese consumers began to demand new mobile-centric services. As such, businesses began embracing the mobile space and accepting payments that were made from these devices.

Consumers have a great deal of experience with NFC-enabled mobile devices

apple - mobile paymentsMany mobile devices in Japan are equipped with an NFC chip called Felica. This chip was first introduced to the market in 2004 and now has a home in nearly every mobile device sold in the country. The iPhone had been one of the very few devices sold in Japan that did not have a Felica chip installed in it. This will change when the iPhone 6 hits the market, but whether or not it will be able to compete with other, more well established mobile payments platforms is uncertain.

Japanese consumers show modest interest in the iPhone 6 and its capabilities

Japanese consumers have had years to get comfortable with mobile commerce. They have come to expect many things from the mobile platforms that they use on a daily basis and platforms that do not meet these expectations do not last long in the market. Apple has limited experience when it comes to mobile commerce, and this has placed the company in a precarious position when it comes to engaging Japanese consumers.