Category: Apps

Mobile wallet may be in the works at LG

| October 20, 2015

One of the major providers of Android based smartphones in the United States may be entering into mobile payments.

According to recent reports and rumors that are becoming increasingly widespread online, LG Electronics is in the midst of an effort to develop and launch its own native mobile wallet app.

These headlines have come into the spotlight after the company made a trademark filing for names suggesting payments.

The names that have caused speculation about a native mobile wallet from the company are “G Pay” and “LG G Pay”. These trademark filings were made both in South Korea and the United States, according to a number of reports including ETNews from South Korea. The trademark claims were apparently for functions that were “related to data transmission” with regards to both smartphones and smartwatches.

There have also been a number of others steps taken by LG that suggest a potential mobile wallet.

New Mobile Wallet App May LaunchAmong the moves that LG has taken that indicate that it is interested in stepping into mobile payments include the Watch Urbane LTE smartwatch from the company which includes NFC (near field communication) technology. This is the same tech used by a large number of the mobile payments platforms that are already in existence. This would make it possible for devices to complete transactions at a checkout counter.

Also a component of the speculations was the statement made by Kim Jong Hoon, the director of LG Electronics, when he said that the company had been considering an expansion into smartphone payments at a media conference this month for new hardware from the company.

This would make LG the fourth launch of a mobile wallet in the United States from a major company, since 2014. The primary competition that LG will be facing within this sector is likely from Google and its Android Pay. The reason is that because LG’s devices are Android based, it would give consumers the choice between the two apps. Moreover, it could even be that both of those mobile apps could come pre-installed on the devices. Therefore, consumers would be most likely to choose from between the two applications that are already there, as opposed to downloading an alternative.

Mobile ordering and payments are Chipotle’s latest focus

| October 16, 2015

The company has also hired their first chief information officer, which was recently announced.

With the goal of enhancing the smartphone based presence, the Chipotle’s Mexican Grill fast-casual chain has announced that it is placing a focus on mobile ordering and payments and that it has hired its first chief information officer.

Curt Garner, formerly the CIO of Starbucks, is now the first person to take this position at Chipotle’s.

This decision to hire a CIO has come at the same time that the company intends to broaden its mobile ordering and payment offerings, two features that are becoming quite commonplace throughout the fast casual and fast food sectors. In this, Chipotle’s is far from alone, as Starbucks, Panera, Domino’s and Taco Bell – among many others – have already been major players in this space. In fact, until now, those companies have been notably more aggressive in their m-commerce efforts than Chipotle’s.

The company believes that strategic expansion of mobile ordering and payments will change the way people interact with fast food.

Mobile Ordering - Chipolte Mexican GrillAccording to the founder, co-CEO, and chairperson of Chipotle’s, Steve Ells, “We are changing the way people think about and eat fast food.” He added that a central component of the vision of the company is their effort to offer customers the best possible restaurant experience. “As we look for ways to create efficiencies in our restaurants and improve the customer experience through the strategic use of technology, Curt’s experience and expertise make him an ideal and welcome addition to our management team.”

Before moving to Chipotle’s, Garner had held several different technology positions at Starbucks, spanning almost twenty years. That company has been crowned as the current ruler of the mobile payments segment and it has recently expanded its mobile app based ordering, as well, making it possible for customers to skip the line and simply pick up their orders.

This makes Garner a very strategic addition to Chipotle’s, which first announced that it would be rolling out mobile ordering on its Apple Watch app back in April. Not long afterward, officials from the company said they would be focusing on updating their mobile app for better efficiency.