Tag: mobile security

China Mobile to launch mobile commerce initiative in 2013

| November 1, 2012

China Mobile

China Mobile announces plans to bring mobile commerce to 12 Chinese provinces

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile network operator, is preparing to rollout its first mobile payments initiative in February 2013. The company has begun stockpiling NFC-enabled smart phones, provided by eight of the world’s largest smart phone manufacturers, in order to prepare for the launch of the initiative next year. The company has announced that it will introduce new NFC services to 12 provinces in China as part of its mobile commerce initiative, making its NFC-enabled mobile devices to consumers at the time of launch.

China Mobile teams with China UnionPay for initiative

The initiative represents a partnership between China Mobile and China UnionPay, a leading commerce network. The two companies are keen to address the growing demand for mobile commerce services coming from China Mobile’s more than 690 million subscribers. These consumers are eager to make purchases for goods and services using their mobile device rather than physical currency or payments cards. The common consensus is that mobile commerce platforms will be a more convenient way to conduct transactions.

NFC-enabled mobile devices to be sold late 2012 and throughout 2013

In 2013, China Mobile aims to sell more than 10 million NFC-enabled mobile devices. Many of these devices will come from Samsung, HTC, Huawei, and ZTE, and will actually be available near the end of 2012. The bulk of these devices will be sold during 2013, alongside the launch of the new mobile commerce initiative. Once the initiative is launched, China will have one of the most expansive mobile commerce infrastructures in the world.

Security precautions still unclear from China Mobile

China Mobile has not yet detailed the security measures it is taking with its mobile commerce initiative. Security remains one of the most significant issues concerning mobile commerce. Without adequate security, consumers will find their financial information at risk of theft and exploitation. In other parts of the world, concerns regarding security have served to stymie the progress of the mobile commerce industry and keep many consumers away from mobile payments entirely.

INSIDE Secure introduces VaultSecure platform

| October 29, 2012

VaultSecure aims to transform mobile commerce

INSIDE Secure, a  mobile security firm, has launched a new platform called VaultSecure that will help consumers manage multiple mobile wallet applications on their smart phone or tablet. The company believes that the VaultSecure platform will help transform the mobile commerce industry. INSIDE Secure suggests that this will be the first time that smart phone makers, network operators, and others in the telecommunications industry will be able to share a secure element on a single mobile device.

Days of clashing mobile commerce applications may be history

Before VaultSecure, smart phones were only capable of supporting a single mobile commerce application without trouble. Multiple applications on a single device would often cause problems due to the clashing security features they have in place. In some cases, multiple mobile commerce applications could actually make financial information more vulnerable, thus leading many mobile network operators to favor a particular platform over others. This has led to severe fragmentation within the mobile commerce market.

Platform allows various appliVaultSecure Mobile Securitycations to coexist on a single device

This fragmentation can be seen all over the world. In the U.S., Google, Isis, and the newly formed Merchant Customer Exchange, are all vying for the affection of consumers and businesses interested in mobile commerce. Through SecureVault, the applications coming from these groups can coexist on a single mobile device, each able to access a consumer’s financial information independently. The platform will also encrypt this information for each of the mobile commerce applications, adding an extra layer of protection against malicious attacks.

Competition may prove to fierce for VaultSecure to find traction

INSIDE Secure will be selling VaultSecure to makers of smart phones and tablets. These companies will then have to work with the various companies involved in mobile commerce to incorporate the platform. Given the highly competitive nature of the burgeoning mobile commerce industry, it may be difficult to convince companies that having their platform exist alongside that of their competitors as a sound business move.