Tag: nfc technology

NFC technology expected to become more common in coming years

 

NFC technology poised for market boom

NFC technology is becomiNFC Technology Growthng more commonplace as consumers become more comfortable with the services it can provide. The technology is well known for its use in mobile commerce, wherein it is able to facilitate mobile payments from smart phones for physical products. The technology also has uses in marketing and information distribution and is quickly becoming an ideal way for companies to stay engaged with mobile consumers. Despite the growing popularity of NFC technology, relatively few consumers can engage in the services it provides because of the lack of NFC-enabled mobile devices.

NFC-enabled devices currently in low supply

In order for consumers to make use of NFC-based services, they must have a device that is equipped with an NFC chip. This chip allows a device to interface with a payments terminal, NFC tag, or other service that relies on the technology. Currently, the availability of NFC-enabled mobile devices is low, with the majority of such devices encompassed in the Android platform. The iOS platform does not support NFC technology despite growing demand coming from consumers. The lack of NFC-enabled devices has made it difficult for mobile commerce and other NFC-based services to gain traction with consumers.

ABI Research predicts 2 billion NFC-enabled devices by 2017

According to ABI Research, the availability of NFC-enabled mobile devices is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. This is due to telecommunications and technology companies heeding the demands coming from consumers and working to meet their needs. The research firm expects more than 2 billion smart phones will be equipped with NFC technology by 2017. Shipments of NFC-enabled devices are expected to pick up as well as these products exit their trail phase and companies deem them commercially viable.

New devices expected to make NFC technology more familiar with consumers

With the availability of NFC-enabled devices on the rise, more consumers are expected to gain access to the wide array of NFC-based services that are being offered to them. There may be some challenges that companies and consumers will have to overcome, especially in the realm of mobile commerce, but NFC technology is expected to become a staple of mobile technology and service in the near future.

Branding Brand highlights the performance of mobile commerce

 

Branding Brand survey shows mobile commerce performance on Black Friday

Branding Brand, a leading mobilMobile Commerce Branding Brand Surveye commerce platform used within the retail industry, has announced the results of its Mobile Commerce Index for Black Friday survey. The survey is meant to highlight the performance of mobile commerce amongst consumers on the most important day of the year for the retail industry: Black Friday. The survey shows that mobile commerce was largely successful in boosting the mobile sales within the retail industry by a significant margin.

Mobile sales up 128%

The survey accounts for 66 mobile sites developed by Branding Brand for retailers participating in mobile commerce. These retailers span a wide variety of industries and has shown a great deal of interest in engaging mobile consumers, identifying these consumers as a major opportunity for growth. The survey shows that mobile sales on Black Friday grew by 128% over what they had been in the previous year. Mobile traffic also grew by 101% over the level they had been in 2011.

Most consumers used iOS devices for mobile commerce

Branding Brand suggests that mobile commerce has played a major role in this year’s holiday season, as far as the retail industry is concerned. The survey shows that most consumers made use of iOS devices to access e-commerce sites. Android devices, especially those equipped with NFC technology, were still used and were largely responsible for purchases made within physical stores from an actual mobile device. The iOS platform does not currently support NFC technology.

Retailers may be inclined to support mobile commerce

Mobile commerce had been expected to play a significant role for the retail industry during Black Friday. Branding Brand suggests that this is the case and that the retail industry has now been shown evidence of the capabilities of mobile commerce. With Black Friday leaving many retailers in a positive financial position for the remained of the fiscal year, they may be inclined to invest more support into mobile commerce for the future.