MasterCard gives sneak peek into mobile payments future
The availability of Google Wallet will be announced within weeks
MasterCard on Thursday gave a sneak peek into the near future of mobile payment systems and said that the Google Wallet application is within weeks of being rolled out commercially.
Google Wallet, announced in May, lets mobile phone users pay for purchases in stores by tapping their phones against point-of-sale terminals. At the tail end of a media and analyst day in New York, MasterCard demonstrated the application as well as other, future mobile payments systems.
Initially, Google Wallet will work only on Nexus S phones, made by Samsung, on the Sprint network. Nexus S phones now on the market incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology on an embedded chip, which allows for payment information to be transmitted via the tapping technique.
Google Wallet will work on PayPass terminals already deployed in stores, though some of the terminals will need an upgrade to work with the applications, according to officials at the demonstration. In the U.S., there are about 150,000 retail locations equipped with PayPass terminals, according to Kathleen Reilly, vice president and senior business leader at MasterCard, who said the Google Wallet application will be rolled out "within weeks."
Up to now, the PayPass terminals have worked with NFC chips embedded in cards or special stickers placed on the outside of mobile devices. However, chips embedded in mobile phones offer big advantages, according to Mario Shiliaski, senior vice president of Innovative Platforms.
"A big advantage is that the chips are embedded in secure elements in the hardware, and if they are compromised they are designed to self-destruct," Shiliaski said.
In addition, there will be a range of complementary applications for the technology that users will be able to download, Shiliaski noted. Google Wallets will initially offer the ability to store electronic coupons that can be redeemed at retail outlets, he said. Later this year, MasterCard's inControl will be available for download, he added. InControl is designed to let parents or employers establish parameters for when, where and how their cards are used. Users will get text messages, for example, when certain limits are met.
Major retailers including Macy's, Walgreens, Subway, Noah's Bagels, American Eagle, Bloomingdale's, Peet's Coffee and Toys 'R' Us have signed up to work with Google Wallet.
MasterCard also opened the kimono on a number of projects cooked up by the MasterCard Labs, established after the financial services giant acquired Dublin-based OrbisComm in 2009.
The projects demonstrated Thursday focused on the company's QkR platform, technology that embraces motion and audio signals as well as touch to allow for a range of applications. One application demonstrated Thursday allowed a phone user to scan a rebate coupon and share it via Facebook or Twitter
"This allows for a different type of viral marketing, where people using this technology and sharing information with friends can get additional rebates," said Garry Lyons, chief innovation officer at MasterCard.
The social-network sharing technology is working now in a pilot with more than a hundred users, Lyons said. A more futuristic application involves audio signal technology. In one demonstration, audio signals embedded in a TV commercial were detected by a mobile phone application that a person could then use to download coupons related to the advertisement.
QkR technology goes beyond mobile phones, however. Lyons showed off one application where users could input payment information via the Xbox Kinect, using gesture recognition to select items and go through a checkout process.
Though some of the applications demonstrated by MasterCard are not likely to be rolled out any time soon, the company is looking to officially announce details related to the technology soon, possibly over the next few weeks, officials said.
The QkR platform, with its range of input capabilities, is a good hedge to the NFC-oriented Google Wallet application. NFC will have plenty of competition, including a PayPal mobile payment initiative announced Thursday that works by having mobile devices scan product bar codes and authorize payments through PayPal mobile accounts.
Comment:
What are your thoughts in respect to this technology? How will society adapt to this innovation? Discuss some pros and cons on this type of new technology? Ie. Security, acceptabilty, adaptability, etc.
I think that this is a very interesting use of technology. It is definitly more convenietn for the people who have this option and who understand how the new technology will work. I think that our society is still way behind though and that we will not adapt to this so soon. Many business's still do not even have the pay pass system and some don't even have chip readers yet. I don't think we will adapt well, at this point. In a few years when everyone has caught up, we may think about using this technology.
ReplyDeleteSome pros of this new technology are that it is very convient for people who have access to it. It is likely faster for customers and the workers. Transactions can be processed quicker and will allow for more customers to purchase items from that store. It may also help eliminate lineups.
The cons for this new technology are that people will not adapt to this right away. I think that it is too advanced for our society at this point and therefore will not be accepted by users. Business's may want to introduce this system but I think that customers will not use it. Regarding security, I think that it is no more secure than credit cards. It may even be less secure. Many people lose their phones and people who find them may take advantage of the mobile shopping device.
I feel as though this technology is retarding people's ability to effectively keep track of or understand how much money they have. MasterCard is a cerdit card company, in saying that, the money that you would be spending through the PayPass system is not your money. I much more prefer the tangible aspects of money and I think it raises respect and understanding of a dollar or a twenty. Cash allows you to really see the money that you are spending.
ReplyDeleteI think the consumers that already subscribe both to MasterCard (and the PayPass system) and a smart phone will eagerly accept this new form of payment because it is a natural transition for them. Companies like Visa and MasterCard may very well force the consumer population into using these applicatoins by fazing out tangible cards (ridding a major cost), this action would cause adaptation. Those same companies are going to have a hard time attracting customers that aren't interested in either a credit card or a smart phone. Society would more than likely adjust well to this new type of technology if only because cash is on the way out anyways.
I could see the potential for major security threats concerning this new technology. If you lose your phone, if someone is able to hack into your phone, viruses, there are a plethora of issues that need to be addressed and will need to be addressed as the system is laid out. It will be hard to convince a user market that is not interested in a credit card or a phone, and the initial start up for this plan is going to be a fortune and incredibly risky.
My thoughts on this product is that it new and innovative and people are going to use it. I don't know myself if I would ever use it because I am just not as technical with my phone usage, but if I was, I may consider using if I used credit cards as well.
ReplyDeleteSociety will adapt very well to this technology because cell phones are the widely used products out there right now and if people don't have to carry money they won't. Plus, it is also convenient for consumers to use. Basically it would take less time to use a mobile service then go into a bank or go to the teller at the store and wait in lines.
The pros and cons of this technology are Pros - it's new, it is convenient, and no lines five stores are testing the product. Cons - is it secure enough, it's only available on one style of phone right now, Can it be adapted to other tevhnologies, are they adapting it to the appropriate market demographic, does it have stayability, and only offered through Master Card.
I think this technology is a little silly. It seems unnecessary and to advanced. Also, if all the businesses are not using it then it almost becomes more of an inconvenience to have it, if only select retailers use it. Then you will always be asking, oh do you take Google Wallet? If not then you use your credit card or cash like you always would have. It also would force you to have to specific phone that is compatible with Google Wallet.
ReplyDeleteI think some people in society would like this new technology, not all, but some. There are people who are really into keeping up with the new technology, but then there are some of us who don't even have a smart phone yet. So I think it wouldn't catch on just yet, but if available to use everywhere and at all stores, society might be up for it.
PROS- Everyone carries around their cell, it's on you most of the time, so to have that built in wallet would be handy. You could get away without even bringing a wallet/purse.
CONS- Think how many times you've misplaced/lost your cell phone. It is not a good feeling, and if it was one with your wallet, losing it would be even worse. The security is just a little loose yet for me to trust using it. It is also only compatible with a select number of stores, and out of the ones listed I'd probably only shop at one or two of them.