Category: Mobile Payments

Apple launches mobile payments platform in Canada

| November 20, 2015

Apple Pay has finally come to Canada, officially launched this week

Apple Pay has officially launched in Canada, where it may be able to find more traction among consumers than it has in the United States. Apple launched its mobile payments platform in the U.S. late last year, but Apple Pay has not found the degree of success that Apple had expected. Of the 1 million people that are registered for Apple Pay, approximately only 5% use the service regularly. In Canada, Apple may be able to find more consumers that are interested in mobile payments.

Consumers in Canada have shown a great deal of interest in mobile payments

Canadian consumers now have access to Apple Pay, which will allow them to use their mobile devices to make purchases at physical stores and online. Physical payments are accomplished by “tapping” the mobile device to a payment terminal, which is equipped with NFC technology. NFC is designed to transmit data over short distances, which makes it an ideal tool for mobile payments. Only those with the latest iPhones will be able to use Apple Pay, however, due to the fact that these are the only iPhones that are equipped with NFC technology.

Apple is slowly breaking into new markets with its mobile payments service

Apple Pay - Mobile Payments CanadaApple has opted to take a relatively slow approach to the expansion of its mobile payments service. The company has shown interest in bringing the service to other countries, but it has opted to take its time in doing so. The slow approach may pay off in the long run, as consumers will become more comfortable with mobile payments when apple Pay becomes more available.

Consumers in the US are lagging when it comes to mobile payments adoption

While consumers are becoming more interested in mobile payments, they still prefer more traditional forms of commerce, such as paying with plastic cards and using physical currency. In the United States, mobile payments is growing, but at a slower pace than what is being seen in other countries. As such, many organizations are beginning to focus on these markets with their mobile payments services.

Google may bring mobile payments support to Maps

| November 19, 2015

Google Maps may have mobile payments functionality in the future

Google continues to make moves in the mobile payments space, working to introduce a new feature into Google Maps that will allow consumers to make purchases through the service. Many people use Google Maps for directions, but they have also begun to use the service to find local stores. An updated version of Google Maps will include mobile payments support, something that a growing number of consumers have been asking for over the past several months.

New update for Google Maps is being tested

The update is still in early development, with Google testing a variety of new features that could make Google Maps more valuable to consumers. One of these features involves finding out gas prices at local stations. Another will include additional information concerning hotels, allowing consumers to determine whether or not certain amenities are available at a hotel they may be interested in. Google is looking to incorporate Android Pay into Maps, allowing consumers to make purchases directly from the service. Such purchases would likely be hotel stays or, potentially, making a payment in advance for products offered at physical stores.

Google continues to move ever deeper into the mobile payments space

Mobile Payments - Google MapsGoogle has been involved in the mobile payments space for some time, having initially supported mobile transactions through Google Wallet. The Wallet service is still available, working alongside Android Pay, but Wallet is relatively unpopular among consumers. Android Pay, however, is quickly becoming a favorite with those that are interested in mobile payments. The service has proven to be quite convenient, allowing consumers to make purchases whenever they please. The service is also receiving strong support from retailers that wish to engage mobile consumers more effectively.

Maps may be an underrated mobile payments platform

Google Maps is a massively popular service, but relatively few people consider its potential as a mobile payments platform. Whether or not Google will actually introduce mobile payments support to Maps is still undetermined. The company has, however, been showing a great deal of support for mobile payments in recent years, believing that this sector will see magnificent growth in the coming years.