Tag: mcommerce

The IDC has announced that smartphones are now shipping in larger numbers than feature phones.

An important first has been making technology news headlines as the International Data Corporation has announced that in 2013, the number of smartphones that have been shipped will be greater than the number of feature phones.

The IDC is calling this a groundbreaking milestone since its initial prediction was made this week.

The IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report has released the technology news in addition to the statistics to back it up. The organization has predicted that approximately 918.6 million smartphones will have been shipped this year around the world. This represents 50.1 percent of the total shipments of mobile phones. Though it is only a sliver above the halfway mark, it represents the first time that the smart devices have taken the lead.

One of the reasons for this technology news is that the price of smartphones is coming down around the globe.

Aside from prices, there are other factors that were included in the technology news announcement. For instance, there are far more options available among smartphones than ever before. Furthermore, there has been a widespread roll-out of data focused fourth generation (4G) wireless networks in many regions worldwide. This has made the devices increasingly attractive to users who can now afford them and can use them in a realistic and practical way.

The technology news report also showed that the IDC anticipates that within the next four years, there will have been 1.5billion more smartphones shipped globally. This will make up more than two out of every three mobile phone shipments.

Central to the size of these technology news numbers are the massive emerging markets around the world, such as those in India and China. According to an IDC Asia/Pacific senior research manager, Melissa Chau, “While we don’t expect China’s smartphone growth to maintain the pace of a runaway train as it has over the last two years, there continue to be big drivers to keep the market growing as it leads the way to ever-lower smartphone prices and the country’s transition to 4G networks is only just beginning.”

LevelUp reports growing interest from consumers concerning mobile payments

Mobile payments are gaining momentum in the U.S. More consumers are becoming attracted to the concept of mobile commerce, especially as new services become available to them. LevelUp, a mobile payments start-up, has been attracting a great deal of attention recently, reporting a major influx of new users coming from both the Android and iOS camps. Rising demand for mobile commerce services has sent many consumers scouring the online world looking for platforms like LevelUp.

LevelUp doubles user base

LevelUp has announced that its user count has doubled over the past four months, growing from 500,000 to 1 million users. The start-up provides mobile payments services based on the use of QR codes. The LevelUP application is capable of scanning these codes to instigate transactions from a mobile device. The start-up also offers a mobile commerce terminal system to merchants that allows them to process payments being made from a mobile device. On its surface, LevelUp appears to be no different from any other mobile payments platform, but it has taken measures to enthrall consumers with its various features.

Gamifying mobile payments pays off

LevelUp is unlike other mobile payments platforms in that it “gamifies” mobile commerce, effectively turning loyalty programs into interactive experiences. Users are able to unlock loyalty credit with their favored brands through the LevelUp platform. This approach rewards consumers that spend money through their mobile device, further encouraging them to do so in the future. The loyalty credits offered through LevelUp can be redeemed for discounts and other rewards from a consumer’s favored brand.

Interest in mobile commerce expected to continue growing

Mobile payments are becoming more prolific as more consumers get their hands on high-end smartphones and tablets. LevelUp is one example of the promising growth being seen in the mobile commerce sector. The start-up expects to see this growth continue well into the future, as consumers become more comfortable with the concept of paying for goods and services with their mobile devices rather than with physical currency.