Even though it faced some financial setbacks, the program is still predicted to be ready in time for launch.
According to the latest reports from the Budapest Business Journal regarding the mobile payments system that is to be implemented across Hungary, it is still planning to be ready on time.
The predicted fall launch of the system is still set to be met by the creators of the national program.
Despite the fact that the mobile payments system faced issues regarding the loans that were supposed to pay for the development of the network, the creators were able to overcome the problems and still plan to meet their deadlines. This will be a considerable feat for those teams who have experienced a number of time setbacks and delays, but who are moving forward at full speed to put themselves back on track.
The mobile payments system for Hungary was first announced earlier in 2013 to be ready by fall.
The mobile payments system will be operated by Nemzeti Mobilfizetési, which is owned by the state, and which has been facing a number of sizeable funding challenges in order to cover the costs of the project. Just recently, it was denied a loan of $3.52 million (HUF 800 million) from the Public Procurement Arbitration Board in Hungary. Though these funds were believed to have been vital to its ability to continue and to complete its work on time, it still believes that it will be able to make its deadlines.
A statement that was released by Nemzeti Mobilfizetési has explained that the development that is required in order to expand the mobile payments system will be starting, as scheduled, before the end of this month, and that it will continue forward so that it will be ready for its predicted start date in September 2013.
The purpose of the Hungarian mobile payments system is to be able to create a standardized program across the entire country. It will offer this type of transaction for making purchases such as transit and transportation tickets, motorway stickers, parking fees, and other similar purchases. It is expected that the complete system will be ready to roll out between 2014 and 2017.
PayPal aims to make mobile payments more iOS friendly
PayPal has high hopes for mobile commerce and the company has been working to make mobile payments easier for everyone over the past two years. The company has taken note of the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets, as well as the fact that many consumers prefer to shop using these mobile devices. In order to make mobile payments more universally available, PayPal has been working to develop alternatives to NFC technology, which has long been a cornerstone of mobile commerce.
New SDK allows iOS developers to craft mobile commerce applications
This week, PayPal has launched a new software development kit (SDK) for the iOS platform that will allow developers to create mobile payments systems for the operating system. Last year, Apple launched the iPhone 5, which had been speculated to include some form of NFC technology for the sake of mobile commerce. When the iPhone 5 was officially released, it did not actually support NFC technology, which garnered Apple a significant amount of criticism from consumers. Many claimed that the company would be unable to compete in the mobile payments arena because it had abandoned NFC technology. Apple, however, claimed that the technology was neither secure nor practical enough to facilitate mobile commerce. PayPal shares in this belief.
Developers demand ways to bring mobile commerce services to iOS consumers
The new SDK opens up a new avenue for mobile payments to come to the iOS platform without having to rely on NFC technology in any way. PayPal CTO Jame Barrese notes that the company listened to the demands of developers who wanted the ability to create mobile commerce solutions for iOS devices. Using the SDK, these developers will be able to implement PayPal’s payment system into a mobile application designed for iPhones and iPads. Consumers can use these applications to make mobile payments.
Mobile commerce expected to reach new heights this year
PayPal is quickly becoming a very powerful force in the world of mobile commerce. The company expects to see mobile sales grow to new heights this year as more consumers favor making purchases from their smartphones and tablets. Mobile payments are expected to continue growing in prominence as new services, such as PayPal’s new iOS SDK, become available to developers, who can use these services to craft effective mobile commerce applications.
