Author: Denny

Apps at Facebook to become more efficient through Onavo acquisition

| October 18, 2013

The company’s data compression could also make the social network more friendly to the wallet experience.

Facebook has just announced another acquisition, this time involving a startup from Tel Aviv called Onavo, which has apps that include services that are designed to compress and monitor mobile data.

This could help Facebook to improve on two very meaningful levels.

As Facebook has been honing its mobile credentials to attract the spotlight, the services from Onavo apps could prove to be very helpful as it could help to encourage more marketers to shed their doubts and give the social network a try.

Equally, these apps could help to enhance Zuckerberg’s efforts with Internet.org.

apps - social mediaThe compression technology might assist the Internet.org program’s attempt to bring internet connectivity into regions that are out of reach for other forms. It could also make Facebook a realistic option within regions of the developing world where data consumption is considered to be a costly luxury. Moreover, it would shrink the roaming charges that would be applied to consumers in the rest of the world.

Beyond having been adopted as a new Facebook subsidiary, Onavo will also be converted into a Facebook satellite office in its home town in Israel, which will become the first time that the social network has had a direct presence in that country. At the moment, no information has been revealed regarding the amount of money that was involved in the acquisition, but there have been speculations ranging anywhere from $100 million to $200 million.

Onavo expressed in a blog post that “We’re excited to join their team, and hope to play a critical role in reaching one of Internet.org’s most significant goals – using data more efficiently, so that more people around the world can connect and share.” They also went on to add that “When the transaction closes, we plan to continue running the Onavo mobile utility apps as a standalone brand. As always, we remain committed to the privacy of people who use our application and that commitment will not change.” It has also been speculated that the tech will be integrated into the Facebook mobile applications in order to make them more efficient in terms of data consumption, as well.

NFC technology solution created by Proxama for Isis

| October 14, 2013

The company has come up with a new near field communication solution for the mobile wallet.

The leading NFC technology provider for mobile wallets and engagement tech, Proxama PLC, has announced that it will be working with Isis for its mobile payments solutions.

This partnership is meant to help to boost the Isis mobile wallet app for enabled devices.

Isis is the mobile wallet venture created by Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, and AT&T Mobile. They will be working with Proxama in order to develop the app for NFC technology enabled devices through the use of the BlackBerry 10 operating system. The effort is meant to help to expand the use of the wallet within the North American marketplace.

The use of NFC technology based mobile wallets has been slow to take off, so the hope is that this will help.

Business Partnership - NFC TechnologyThe Proxama managing director, Miles Quitmann, explained that “The roll out of Isis is a significant step forward for NFC as a mainstream consumer technology. We are delighted to be working with Isis on this very exciting venture. Proxama has built up an enviable position in the mobile wallet space. The North American market is a really important one for us.”

The technology platform at Proxama has been shown to be effective in supporting customer loyalty, engagement, and secure contactless payments through the use of NFC technology. Proxama is already working with some of the top brands through this tech, such as Barclaycard, EE, KFC, EAT, and others. These have helped to expand the use of mobile wallets and to boost customer engagement.

At the moment, the adoption of NFC technology based payments has been held back primarily by the limited number of devices that are equipped with these chips. However, as a growing number of device models are released with near field communication, and as the awareness of these types of payments begins to expand, it is believed that it will not be very long before these mobile wallets become a part of the mainstream for completing purchase transactions at a point of sale in a brick and mortar store.