Author: Denny

Mobile games landscape set to shift in the US

| June 28, 2013

Federal law takes aim at mobile games

The mobile games space in the U.S. is slated for major changes at the beginning of next month. On July 1, 2013, the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) goes into effect. Through the law, the Federal Trade Commission will work to limit the risks that children are exposed to through mobile games and similar media platforms. One of the provisions of the law requires that all mobile developers acquire new privacy certifications from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

Developers pushed to take privacy more seriously

The ESRB’s Privacy Certified program has long existed to account for the privacy risks that are associated with certain forms of online media. The program exists primarily as a way to help app developers comply with COPPA’s stringent regulations. The program has been expanded to better serve the needs of developers of mobile games. The program offers security and privacy analysis for developers and offers them will a variety of solutions that could help them comply with federal law.

mobile games - privacy concerns Mobile games continue to raise privacy concerns

Mobile games have been gaining a significant amount of political attention in the U.S. due to the privacy concerns that have been raised concerning children. Mobile games are quite popular among young people, but these games do little to inform players that their personal information is being collected. Much of the issue lies in the fact that many mobile games do not even ask for approval to collect such information, which is then aggressively used for marketing and other such purposes.

Privacy is becoming a major issue in the US

Privacy has become a major issue in the U.S. and more industries are falling under harsh scrutiny when it comes to consumer information. Mobile games are not exempt from this, as they have long been the target of criticism when it comes to the issue of privacy and the wonton collection of data. Developers that wish to continue producing mobile games must soon take steps to comply with COPPA lest they find the U.S. market significantly more hostile in the immediate future.

Report predicts growth in US mobile commerce

| June 24, 2013

Report provides insight into the future of mobile commerce for the US

Juniper Research, a leading market research firm, has released a new report that predicts the growth of mobile sales in the U.S. Mobile commerce has been growing more popular throughout the country as more consumers become comfortable with the concept of using their smartphones and tablets to pay for products. Consumers are already transitioning well toward using their mobile devices to shop online, but using these devices to purchase products from physical stores is gaining more momentum.

Mobile sales to reach $3.2 trillion by 2017

According to the report, called “Mobile Commerce Markets: Sector-by-Sector Trend Analysis & Forecasts 2013-2017,” consumers are taking up mobile commerce at a rapid pace. The report predicts that mobile sales are well on their way to surpassing $3.2 trillion by 2017, an increase over the $1.5 trillion that is forecast for this year. The report also notes that retailers that have not yet embraced mobile commerce are in the minority.

U.S. Mobile Commerce on the riseNFC technology may be on its way out

Many retailers are putting focus on NFC-based mobile commerce systems in order to meet the needs of consumers. While this has been relatively successful for some due to the fact that NFC technology is a staple of mobile commerce, the time may be coming when this technology is more of a hindrance than a benefit. NFC-enabled devices are still rare in the U.S. market, making NFC-based mobile commerce somewhat exclusive. Moreover, Apple devices do not support NFC technology in any inherent way, which has lead many retailers to seek out alternatives to NFC technology.

Mobile payments are growing around the world

The report expects that mobile commerce will continue to grow in the U.S. and that this growth will largely be powered by consumers and their interests in mobile technology. The U.S. is not the only place mobile commerce is finding traction, of course, as more consumers in Europe and Asia have also been growing more accustomed to new forms of commerce.