Tag: amazon

Amazon and Apple may control the fate of mobile payments

| April 27, 2013

Mobile Payments Apple and AmazonCompanies may holds significant sway over the future of mobile payments

Commerce is changing as mobile technology begins to play a bigger role in the lives of people around the world. Traditional payments are becoming more cumbersome to consumers, causing many to look for more convenient ways to purchase goods and services. Mobile has become the answer to this problem, with consumers flocking to the concept of mobile payments. As with many other aspects of commerce, a handful of companies and organizations are expected to have a major influence on this sector. Amazon and Apple are among those companies.

Amazon begins breaking into mobile commerce

Amazon has shown strong interest in mobile payments for some time, given that much of the company’s business is firmly within the online world. The company is consider an e-commerce giant, putting it in a position to establish itself as a leading power in the mobile commerce field. Indeed, Amazon has been working on its own mobile payments platform that is being designed with security in mind. Apple, on the other hand, has been very cautious of mobile payments, showing serious concern for mobile security.

Apple showing interest in taking mobile payments to a new level

It had been anticipated that Apple would break into the mobile commerce field with the release of the iPhone 5. This, however, was not the case, as the iPhone 5 did not end up supporting NFC technology as had been expected. While Apple had adopted a slow and steady approach to mobile payments, the company may soon be ramping up its efforts. Those involved in the mobile commerce industry suggest that it would be difficult for the company to break into a sector they do not specialize in, largely due to the various issues involved in general commerce.

Apple may serve as a platform for third party services

Apple has been showing signs that it is interested in service as a platform for mobile payments conducted through third parties rather than developing its own mobile commerce platform. To this end, Apple is likely to have significant sway over the industry, as it will play a role in determining which mobile payments services are viable and which could be considered insignificant.

Amazon unveils Anonymous mobile payments

| April 22, 2013

Amazon mobile paymentsAmazon looks to make mobile payments more secure

Amazon has been a leading online retailer for several years now, but that does not mean that it is not constantly on the lookout to break new ground. The retailer has recently begun growing more aggressive on the matter of mobile payments, noting that a large portion of consumers shop with their smartphones and tablets. Amazon is eager to embrace these consumers by providing them with comprehensive mobile commerce services and has plans to introduce a new system that will help make mobile payments more secure.

Amazon awarded mobile payments patent

Amazon has been awarded a new patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for what it calls an “Anonymous mobile payments” system. According to the patent, the system is designed to allow consumers to pay for products using their mobile device, but these consumers will not have to reveal any personal information to those they are purchasing from. Amazon believes that this will provide consumers with a degree of security is largely absent from the current mobile commerce climate.

Security continues to be a major issue in the mobile commerce field

Security is a major concern that many people have when it comes to mobile payments. Protecting a consumers financial information has become a top priority for companies engaging in the mobile commerce field, and several companies have successfully developed mobile commerce platforms that provide a high level of protection. Amazon, however, claims that anonymity offers the best level of peer-to-peer protection, claiming that its system is ideally suited for a digital economy where consumers often sell goods to one another.

Anonymity proves important to consumers online

Anonymity has become a very popular trend on the Internet. Keeping personal information private has been an issue for many consumers over the past few years. Facebook, as well as other social networks, received a great deal of criticism due to their lackluster privacy features, allowing users’ personal information to be accessed easily. In mobile payments, privacy is a much more significant concern and Amazon is poised to address the issue as aggressively as possible.