It’s been long in discussion and now making more progress than ever, but mobile phones really will be a valid payment method offered by shops/organisations selling goods and services. Well, at least that’s what this article from ZDNet suggests.
Visa are currently developing applications for Nokia and for Google’s new Android phones. As well as moving toward a digital currency, the applications could notify account holders of activity on their account (good if something dodgy’s been going on). They’re also looking at implementing location-based services and live merchant offers, but the really interesting bit has to be using the phone as a payment method.
I’ve personally always liked the idea, although it does scare me that losing my phone not just loses my life details (contacts, photos, diary, calendar, notes, music, software etc), it could also lose the funds in my bank account. That’s a lot to deal with if your phone is stolen or you accidentally drop it down the toilet (I’ve done that before – don’t ask).
As I say, I like the idea. I always carry my mobile with me (much to my beloved wife’s frustration) and I always carry my wallet with me, so why not merge the two? Ok, I’d need my phone to be used as a library card and I’d need another place to stick my spare stamps, but they’re not unsolvable problems.
I’m guessing I might be in the minority by liking the idea, but what do you think? Would you want to use your phone for buying stuff?
Dan
This entry was posted by Dan Kirkland on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 at 2:34 pm and is tagged with and is posted in the category Tech News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I've seen vending machines that can allow mobile phone codes to pay for items. Frightful images of "merry" people in the pub on a Friday/Saturday night, desperately trying to co-ordinate their fingers on the keypads of their mobiles; imagine the queues!
When I was down in Oxford, some of the car parks seemed to allow you to pay by your mobile, or at least that was the impression I got!
I think most of the things that exist at the moment require you to send a text message or dial a premium number which is then charged to your mobile. I think what Visa are trying to do is different. Specifically with the Nokia it seems they want to use nearfield communication, which will allow you to swipe your mobile in a similar way that you use an Oyster card for the London Underground.
Just to expand on Dan's post, there is/has been/will be a trial to indeed use that same kind of technology to make mobile phones act as an Oyster card.
I'd like a small finger print scanner on my phone just like there is on my laptop. Instead of of keying "unlock + *" to unlock the keypad I could just swipe my finger. Incidentally the one on my laptop is much faster than the ones we have on the doors at Plusnet.
@Be3G, yeah remember reading about that. Also, did Barclaycard end up implemeting the "oyster" chip in their credit card as well? Seem to remember signs in London last time I went down there.
They did trial it, though I've not heard about it going any further than that yet.
Well with the amount of mobile phones that get stolen to have all your information on them for purchasing items is tantamout to asking for trouble, with the loss of all the info if stolen, personally I do not use a mobile everyday.
I sold an item to a lady recently, she had her mobile phone stolen, when I phoned her number some rude young chap answered, I do not know the person you are asking about, I am not her husband, are you trying to wind me up etc. So have not been able to contact her. As she probably put my number on her phone she has not been able to contact me either.
Having recently lost my phone the feeling of 'what information have I given away' is still strong.
I probably prefer remote reading of my debit/credit card details at the checkout as a card is less easy to loose especially as you are unlikely to leave it stuck in the reader as some people have done.
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