Dear Readers,
With news of Google continuing to lose developers within their Google Wallet program (http://bit.ly/GDnJO7) and that there may be some concessions made to MNO (http://bit.ly/GJDIae) and customers (http://vrge.co/GDnTVJ), the term "Schadenfreude" springs to mind.
After reading articles that return to the basic premise of Google 'overpromising and underdelivering', (http://bit.ly/GLrVvs) complete with heavy hints that all is not well within the management structure of the division (http://bit.ly/GDnJO7), it is easy for the layman to construct a case about the impracticalities and failings of the mobile wallet premise in general (http://bit.ly/GDnB15).
However, I think that this would be a misguided judgment at this moment in time. Perhaps there are concerns about certain NFC technology implementations, and with so many alternative solutions being proposed (think PayPal), it is easy to lose sight of the end goal. That goal being a cashless society and full adoption and acceptance of mobile payments.
There are, of course, still questions to be answered about this vision and so it was not unexpected to read that last week the US House Financial Services Subcommitee on Consumer Credit wanted to find out more concerning the growing trend of mobile payments (http://cs.pn/GIRfP3). Panelists at the hearing included representatives from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, PCI Security Standards Council, MasterCard, the Smart Card Alliance and the Consumers Union. As far as I am concerned, if committees in the US government are wanting to know more about a particular subject – then that subject has found its niche in the present zeitgeist. In other words: it's going to happen.
Having said that, we are not out of the woods yet. Journalists are still keen to remind us of the industry's shortcomings in respect to merchant adoption (http://bit.ly/GR8sat), and security (http://bit.ly/GIRl9b). Some of us in the industry are keen to remind customers how great mobile payments are (http://bit.ly/GDYQ38) but as this editorial has pointed out in the past, until there is a combined, co-ordinated approach for an educational awareness campaign, it will be a much longer battle up a far greater hill. At least we are moving forward though…
And the companies who have moved forward the most? The finalists in the Contactless & Mobile Awards of course! Announced last week, the forty finalists will be finding out on the 26th April in London who will be taking home awards - and who will not. For ease, we have listed the finalists in the right hand column. If you are interested in joining us, let us know soon - time (and available places) are quickly running out. We hope to see you there.
Until next week.
Steve Atkins
Contactless Intelligence
Featured on C-ITV this week
Payments & m-Commerce
House Members Examine Mobile Payment Trends http://cs.pn/GIRfP3
Why Nokia Money was axed http://bit.ly/zXZ43Q
Google Wallet’s Founding Engineer, Product Lead Already at Work on Next Startup, Tappmo http://tcrn.ch/zDfoZe
Clear2Pay launches G3 Payments solution to the Singapore market http://bit.ly/z3pm3Q
London Olypmics to ignite mobile payments http://bit.ly/GA1UgF
Israel: Cellcom, ICC-Cal to launch e-wallet joint venture http://bit.ly/GA1TcG
Mobile Payments Price War Heats Up as Pay Anywhere Slashes Merchant Fees http://dthin.gs/GA1NSl
Commbank sketches mobile future http://bit.ly/GA1JCb
Google Staff Departures Reveal Internal Rift over Wallet Program http://bit.ly/GDnJO7
Mobile wallet and NFC criticised by Pirate Bay and PayPal http://bit.ly/GDnB15
TransCard Announces NFC Certification to Enable Contactless Payments http://bit.ly/GDnLFG
OP-Pohjola Group Payment Cards with Contactless Technology to Be Introduced in Near Future http://bit.ly/GDnYZn
Current Google Wallet customers given $5 on pre-paid cards for all the provisioning hassles http://vrge.co/GDnTVJ
Citi, MasterCard drive Google Wallet awareness through new ad initiative http://bit.ly/GDYQ38
Small businesses can accept payments on-the-go http://nab.co/GJDQXi
Portugal Telecom unveils mobile wallet service http://bit.ly/GJDNe8
Google mulling carrier rev share to popularize Google Wallet http://bit.ly/GJDIae
The state of mobile payments: No more waiting on NFC http://bit.ly/GJDvUD
Square poaches from PayPal as it bids for international expansion http://bit.ly/GJDuzT
Google rethinking Wallet strategy after failure to launch http://bit.ly/GLrVvs
Contactless payments on the rise but merchants are slow to adopt http://bit.ly/GR8sat
NFC & Mobile
NFC security standards, perception must be improved http://bit.ly/GIRl9b
Sharp intros underwhelming RW-T110 Gingerbread tablet with NFC, not much else on board http://engt.co/GDnvX8
RIM exec visits Australia on NFC mission http://bit.ly/GDnx1i
Lexus Brings NFC-Enabled Print Ad to Wired Magazine http://bit.ly/GDnT82
Apple fighting Motorola, Nokia, and RIM over nano-SIM standard http://vrge.co/GDnPFp
Reading's hi-tech bus shelters are streets ahead http://bit.ly/GJD78n
Market Research Forecasts NFC Market Growth at 69% CAGR Through 2016 http://reut.rs/GJD4JK
INSIDE Secure NFC solution awarded new EMV certificate for payment and security http://bit.ly/GJDqAe
Eventbrite's iPad credit card reader creates mobile box office http://bit.ly/GJDf80
NFC Contactless Technology Provides Secure and Resilient Foundation for Mobile Payments http://bit.ly/GIR8Tv
Orange Makes Major New NFC Phone Commitment; Seeks to Seed Market http://bit.ly/GIRee1
Transportation, Ticketing & Loyalty
PalmPass Ushers in Digital Age for Canadian Transit Systems http://bit.ly/GIRrhg
Vic Greens MP lodges writ over Myki report http://bit.ly/wOWpFw
Foreign attack on Dutch transport website http://bit.ly/zDprNB
Other News & Opinion Articles
Contactless Intelligence announces finalists for 2012 Contactless & Mobile Awards http://bit.ly/GCWctW
PayPal Set to Disrupt the Card Industry Again http://bit.ly/GIRae7
Poken moves to Silicon Valley with $2m investment http://bit.ly/As93pa
"So what exactly is Identive's patent pending-technology SmartCore™?" http://bit.ly/wXpvyE.
Adyen Releases Customer Research Statistics Highlighting Mobile Payment Growth Over the Past Six Months http://bit.ly/GDnu5z
Orange presents its “10 commitments” in Brussels, contributing to Europe’s Digital Agenda http://oran.ge/GIQSUw
Marketers Watch Mobile Payments Tech Unfold From Many Different Directions http://bit.ly/GIQUMe
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