Denny |
February 26, 2013
Google takes ambitious steps to secure position in mobile commerce arena
For the past year, Google has been showing strong interest in mobile commerce and online retail. The company’s Google Wallet has been somewhat well received by consumers around the world, many of whom praise the product’s ability to make purchasing products more convenient. Google has seen significant growth in the mobile commerce and retail arenas, which has lead to confrontation with companies that have long held dominance in these industries, such as Amazon.
Channel Intelligence platform could be a major boon for Google
In a move to make itself more competitive with Amazon, Google has announced the acquisition of Channel Intelligence, a data management platform for retailer inventory. Channel Intelligence could give Google the tools it needs to make major progress in the realm of e-commerce. The platform holds a vast amount of information concerning retail advertisers. Using the platform, Google will be able to access detailed retailer pricing and inventory data, as well as data on how retailers convert shoppers into dedicated customers. The platform is expected to give Google better pricing power over its own advertisements.
Platform to help Google provide better services to retailers
The Channel Intelligence platform will help Google offer better options to retailers concerning advertising through its widely used search engine. This will allow the company to establish a more dominant foothold in the world of online shopping and likely set it to directly compete with Amazon. Consumers have already proven that they rely heavily on online search to make their shopping more efficient, but more of these consumers are using mobile devices to shop and research products. Amazon already has a significant lead over Google in regards to catering to mobile consumers.
Mobile commerce demand growing among consumers
Mobile commerce continues to be a strong focus for Google and other companies interested in the retail industry. The demand for mobile commerce services among consumers has reached the point where it can no longer be ignored by retailers, thus these companies are making a push to accommodate the needs and interests of these consumers more adequately. Google has seen a major opportunity for growth in providing these retailers with tools that could make them more effective in the field of mobile commerce.
Denny |
February 21, 2013
McAfee report highlights risky applications and their impact on mobile security
Mobile applications are universally popular among mobile consumers. Nearly everyone that has a smart phone or tablet makes use of applications in some way, whether they be for browsing the Internet or checking email. Most of these applications are unassuming, offering simple services for literally nothing in return. A growing number of applications are becoming less altruistic, however, according to McAfee Labs, a leading security analysis firm. The firm has released its latest Mobile Security: McAfee Consumer Trends Report, detailing a troubling trend that has emerged in the mobile world.
Malicious apps find their way onto trusted marketplaces
McAfee notes that mobile platforms have become very attractive to hackers and other malicious groups that can exploit a person’s personal information. While applications have made the lives of consumers easier, they have also opened these consumers up to new threats that go mostly unnoticed. According to McAfee, more applications are being introduced to markets that contain multi-faceted scams, black market crimes, imbedded malware, and other threats. A significant number of these applications are finding their way to popular app stores, successfully sidestepping the security features that are meant to keep these marketplaces safe.
Education may be part of the problem
Education — or lack thereof — is part of the problem, according to McAfee. While many consumers have become more aware of the threats that exist in the world of mobile security, few understand exactly what these threats mean. Fewer still take steps to adequately protect themselves from these threats. Many consumers rely on large companies like Apple and Google to protect them from malicious attacks through various mobile security services offered by these companies, but the growing complexity and aggressiveness of these attacks is making it nearly impossible for such companies to stave off threats on their own.
Google Play reportedly falling prey to malicious groups
McAfee claims that hackers go through extraordinary efforts in order to insert their malicious application into trusted applications markets like Google Play. The firm notes that 75% of its McAfee Mobile users downloaded such applications from Google Play specifically. While Google regularly removes thousands of these applications from its marketplace, thousands more replace these applications on a nearly daily basis, making it difficult for Google to make significant headway concerning mobile security.
