Tag: apple

UK consumers see promise in mobile commerce

| September 8, 2015

Survey shows that many consumers expected to make daily mobile purchases within the next five years

The United Kingdom’s Lloyds Bank has released the results of a recent survey, through which it saw an increase in the interest consumers have in mobile commerce. According to the survey, approximately 34% of mobile consumers expect to make a payment with their device every day within the next five years. As more retailers become mobile-centric and offer new shopping experiences, consumers are beginning to use their devices to shop online more frequently.

Companies see new opportunities in the UK market

Several companies are beginning to see promise in the UK’s mobile commerce space. Apple is one such company, which believes that its Apple Pay service will do well in the country due to the growing number of mobile shoppers. Samsung is another, which intends to launch its new Samsung Pay service in the United States within the coming months. The company sees promise in the UK, but has not yet announced when the mobile payments service will be launched in the UK.

Older consumers are more interested in mobile commerce

UK Consumers - Mobile CommerceThe survey from Lloyds Bank shows that older consumers are more interested in mobile commerce than their younger counterparts. According to the survey, of those aged over 45, 59% believe that they will be using their mobile devices to make daily purchases. By comparison, 37% of those between the ages of 18 and 44 believe this. Older consumers, especially those with lengthy commutes, seem to be more interested in mobile shopping because of the convenience that it represents.

Security remains a top concern for consumers that want to use their mobile devices to shop online

Among those surveyed that do not currently participate in mobile commerce, 44% said they were concerned about the security of their financial information. Lack of security could leave consumers exposed to exploitation and fraud. This concern has prevented many people from making a mobile purchase, but the rise of biometric technology, which uses biologic information for the sake of security, may be changing that in the coming years.

Google’s mobile payments service could launch in a matter of days

| August 27, 2015

Android Pay may be on the way sooner than expected

Google may have plans to launch its new mobile payments service, Android Pay, sooner than expected. According to a notice sent to some of Android Pay’s retail partners, such as McDonald’s, employees are being trained to understand what mobile payments are and how to assist customers making such transactions. These notices suggest that Android Pay will actually become available on August 26 or very shortly thereafter, but there is no telling whether or not Google’s new service will find success.

Google has had trouble with mobile payments in the past

Google already has a position in the mobile payments market, having launched its first platform, Google Wallet, some years ago. The Wallet platform experienced a turbulent launch, with some security issues leaving consumers wary of the concept of mobile transactions. Google has been working to improve the Wallet service and it has begun to generate momentum among consumers, but the company may be showing more priority for Android Pay in the future. Google does not have plans to kill its Wallet service, however, and both services are likely to work alongside one another.

Android Pay already has significant support

Google Mobile PaymentsAndroid Pay already has significant support in many parts of the United States. Once launched, the service will be accepted in more than 700,000 stores throughout the country. Transactions and financial information will be protected by biometric technology, with a user’s fingerprint serving as the key that unlocks the mobile payments service.

Google will have to fight Apple and Samsung in order to find success in the mobile payments field

Google will be competing directly with both Samsung and Apple, both of whom have their own mobile payments services. Apple has, perhaps, established a more formidable foothold in the market, as its payment service was launched last year and has already attracted significant consumer support. Apple plans to launch its service in the United Kingdom in the near future. Samsung is currently testing its own payment service in South Korea, with plans to launch the service at some point later this year.