Author: Dan Gendro

eBay cites mobile connectivity for economic loss

The Christmas season is almost here, and many consumers are expected to rely heavily on their mobile devices to get their holiday shopping done. The holiday season has long been a major occasion for the retail industry, and this continues to be the case in the advent of mobile commerce. More consumers are making use of the smart phones and other mobile devices to purchase products. This has created a promising opportunity for some retailers, but it may cause some trouble for those in the United Kingdom. According to eBay, the UK economy stands to lose this year because of problems concerning mobile commerce and connectivity.

Slow connection speeds discourage consumers to participate in mobile commerce

Famed online retailer eBay claims that slow mobile connection speeds, caused by the lack of a universal 4G service, will cost the UK economy more than $150 million during the holiday season. The retailer believes that the average mobile download speeds throughout the country are not conducive to supporting consumers who want to make a purchase using their smart phone. The country’s first 4G network was launched earlier this week by Everything Everywhere, bringing high-speed connection to 11 cities in the UK, but this network has not yet matured enough to be considered viable for holiday shoppers.

4G connectivity could boost sales to nearly $800 million

eBay predicts that more than a third of all Christmas gifts will be purchased online using a smart phone, even from those that do not have access to a 4G network. If mobile networks were to improve the speeds they provide to consumers, establishing 4G connectivity throughout more of the country, eBay suggests that sales could rise from roughly $600 million to nearly $800 million.

Consumers continue to show interest in mobile commerce

Consumers in the United Kingdom have shown a great deal of interest in mobile commerce. Mobile commerce services have provided many of these consumers with a more convenient way to pay for the products that they love. If mobile networks do not take mobile commerce more seriously, especially in the realm of mobile connectivity, they may stand to lose during this year’s Christmas shopping frenzy.

COPNI Wave brings NFC to all mobile devices

On Track Innovations, a leading developer of contactless smart card technology, has announced a new version of its popular COPNI platform, called COPNI Wave. The COPNI Wave is being billed as the mobile industry’s first device that can give any existing mobile phone NFC capabilities.  The device could be a big hit amongst consumers that are interested in mobile commerce but do not have access to an NFC-enabled smart phone or tablet. Using the COPNI Wave, these consumers will be able to participate in mobile commerce without having to pay exorbitant amounts of money for a new smart phone.

New devices aims to close the gap between NFC technology and mobile consumers

The COPNI Wave can attach to any mobile device through that device’s headphone jack. Once connected, the COPNI Wave will interface with the mobile device and give it NFC capabilities. With the new attachment, consumers without NFC-enabled smart phones will be able to interact with a wide array of NFC-based content, much of which can be found in interactive advertisements. These consumers will also be able to make payments for goods and services using their phone, provided that they have a mobile commerce application installed.

Lack of NFC-enabled mobile devices may be a problem of the past

With the introduction of the COPNI Wave, On Track Innovations hopes to solve one of the most significant problems facing mobile commerce today. That is the lack of NFC-enabled mobile devices. Because mobile commerce hinges on NFC technology to facilitate payments, those without NFC-enabled phones cannot participate in transactions. NFC-enabled mobile devices are currently rare, making the audience for mobile commerce somewhat limited.

On Track Innovations continues to show major progress in the realm of mobile commerce and NFC

Despite some of the challenges inhibiting widespread adoption, mobile commerce is not considered to be a passing fad. On Track Innovations is keen to stay on the forefront of NFC technology and ensure that it plays a large role in the emerging mobile commerce industry. The company has already solidified its place a a leading provider of NFC solutions in the U.S., thanks to numerous patents awarded to the company from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.