UniCredit and First Data are now conducting a pilot of their first smartphone based transaction solution.
The Italian bank called UniCredit has entered into a partnership with First Data in order to test a new mobile payments service that will be based on the scanning of QR codes.
The pilot is now officially underway and the companies await the first data to gauge its successes.
The testing of the service has already begun, and is using the Mobile Gateway from First Data in order to both generate and to exchange the QR codes required for the mobile payments system transactions between customers and merchants. According to First Data, this system provides the customer and the merchant with a number of different benefits.
The QR codes based system allows for a higher level of security and a lower number of risks per transaction.
By scanning QR codes, it takes out the risks that are connected with having to enter credit card details for making mobile payments. At the same time, First Data also stated that this type of system makes it possible to take advantage of value enhanced service applications, such as offers, coupons, tickets, and paying bills.
The pilot for the system using the QR codes is now underway as the first of a number of different mobile payments services upon which the partnered companies have already agreed to embark. They will be working together in a number of different markets around the globe in order to introduce these new smartphone based services.
According to the First Data president of international regions, John Elkins, “UniCredit has recognized the opportunities that Universal Commerce offers and we are delighted to be working with it to make this a reality for its international customer base.”
There have been a number of different mobile payments services that have already been introduced around the world that currently use QR codes as the method of completing the transaction. Among the most famous for its successes is the system that was implemented by the Starbucks chain of cafes. Its achievements have become a solid example of the possibilities that the technology has to offer.
CloudZync, a mobile commerce startup based in the United Kingdom, has announced the launch of a new mobile wallet application. CloudZync’s wallet is the latest to come to the UK mobile wallet scene and will face significant competition from the myriad wallets that exist therein. The company currently has some 280 merchants signed up to support its mobile wallet. These merchants have expressed strong interest in mobile commerce and its growing popularity among consumers.
CloudZync wallet supported by 280 merchants
The mobile wallet is currently available for iOS and Windows devices. CloudZync has plans to release the wallet to the Android platform at a later date. The wallet can be linked to an existing bank account and can store funds digitally. Users will be able to make payments through the mobile wallet and these payments will be supported by the 280 merchants that have signed up to support CloudZync’s mobile commerce services. The wallet does have an interesting security feature that makes use of QR codes.
QR codes used to provide added layer of security
QR codes are not typically considered to be a mobile security tool, but the codes do have some ability to verify the identity of consumers and prevent malicious mobile commerce activities. When a consumer makes use of the CloudZync wallet to make a payment, a unique QR code is generated. This code can then be scanned by merchants in order to verify a customer’s identity. The wallet will also store various rewards from loyalty programs, allowing consumers efficient access to these rewards.
Mobile commerce continues to grow in the UK
Mobile commerce has established a foothold in the United Kingdom, but no mobile wallet platform has yet established a lead over any other. The market is currently inundated with these platforms, each seeking to offer some comprehensive mobile commerce service to consumers. The expansive availability of these mobile wallets has given consumers the opportunity to move from platform to platform without being restricted to a single wallet.
