MobileWallet
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Zoosh does mobile payments using ultrasound, no NFC chip required
Zoosh. That may or may not be what an ultrasonic payment sounds like to a dolphin, but it is definitely the name of a new mobile wallet technology developed by Silicon Valley start-up, Naratte. While Google and other major players have focused on traditional radio-based NFC, Naratte has been quietly testing its ultrasound system instead, motivated by the fact that it can work on ordinary handsets without the need for specialized NFC circuitry. Two phones can "zoosh" each other using nothing but their built-in microphones and speakers, so long as they're both running the necessary app. Moreover, Naratte claims that cash tills can be upgraded to hear the sweet jangle of ultrasonic cash for just $30 -- around a third of the cost of installing radio-based NFC hardware. So who knows? The last time you came this close to ultrasound was probably just before you were born, but one day you might find yourself using it to buy diapers. Scary.
More iPhone than Android owners want mobile wallets
Google may have beaten Apple to NFC, but a recent survey reveals that only 24% of Android users are actually interested in using the technology to make purchases. iPhone owners are still waiting for an NFC-enabled model, but 40% can't wait to pay in a store using their phone. Much of this difference can be attributed to the attitude of iPhone owners. Jennifer Jacobsen, PR director of Retrevo, says "If there's a new trend in mobile tech and what you can do with a smartphone, iPhone owners seem more ready to try it than other cell phone users." It's not a bad thing that Apple is a bit behind in mobile payments as the overall interest in the technology is low. A whopping 79% of the 1,000 survey respondents claim they are not interested in mobile wallets or do not understand what they are.
Isis mobile payment system to work with Visa and MasterCard, shelving plans for its own network
When AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon came together to create the Isis mobile payment system, they touted a standalone service, powered by Discover's payment network, that would revolutionize the way we make small purchases on the move. Well, the revolution is still on schedule, apparently, but the big trio is now being said to have made a concession in reaching out to the incumbent leaders in this field, Visa and MasterCard. The Wall Street Journal cites multiple sources in reporting that Isis has turned into a less ambitious "mobile wallet" project that would seek to let you use your Visa or MasterCard account via your NFC-capable smartphone. As far as the consumer is concerned, it's still the same swipe-to-buy proposition, but the move was apparently necessary for Isis "to avoid falling further behind" in the race to corner this developing market. We'd say it's encouraging to see these guys showing a bit of swiftness -- it's about time the rest of the world caught up to Japan.
Isis NFC payment system gets its first market in Salt Lake City, Utah, launches in 2012
Like 3D on high-end HDTVs, NFC-based payment systems seem set to invade our mobile lives whether we like them or not. Isis, a collaborative venture between AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and a bunch of banking big timers, has today announced the first market for its rollout of a contactless payment scheme, and it's none other than Salt Lake City, Utah. That'll surely raise eyebrows in locales that may consider themselves more tech-savvy, but we reckon starting off with a city of a smaller scale might be good for getting this "mobile wallet" system off the ground. And then there's the added benefit of Isis snagging a deal to enable compatibility with the entire Utah Transit Authority footprint. If all plans are executed properly, that should mean that by summer 2012 the good people of SLC will be able to NFC their way around town with just their smartphone in hand, while also swiping it through checkouts like some form of highly advanced techno-humans.
Samsung and Visa join forces to enable NFC mobile payment at 2012 Olympics
From a gadgeteer's point of view, one of the best things about the Olympics is its tendency to bring in new technologies to the hosting city. Take the 2012 games, for example: not only are the London Underground stations getting WiFi hotspots, but news has it that Samsung and Visa are holding hands to deliver NFC mobile payment solutions to the city. In fact, more than 60,000 locations in London are already geared up with contactless payment systems, and right now Visa is negotiating with banks to get its contactless cards and mobile phones approved. For the latter, one such device will be Samsung's Olympic and Paralympic Games mobile handset that comes with a Visa-enabled SIM card, and it'll be made available to sponsored athletes as well as various retailers. Furthermore, this alliance will continue after the Olympics, and Visa is rolling out its mobile payment system in many other countries as we speak, so it shouldn't be long before we hear more Visa handset announcements.
RIM, Bank of America partnering up for Mobile Wallet NFC trial
We've known for some time that RIM is going all-in on NFC (isn't everyone?), but we didn't realize they were going retroactive, too. A NFC payment trial coming up involving RIM and Bank of America will allow selected testers to get an NFC-capable back for their Curve 8520 or 8530, Tour 9630, or Bold 9000, 9650, or 9700 -- in other words, most of the company's portrait QWERTY models from the last couple years. You'll also need an active Bank of America account, at which point you'll be able to tap your 'Berry on NFC terminals to get your pay on. The trial starts this spring; no word on when it might be open to everyone. [Thanks, Dylan]
Deutsche Telekom claims Apple will support near-field communication e-wallet
Fun things are afoot at the Mobile World Congress this week in Barcelona, Spain. Today's news comes from Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of cell carrier T-Mobile. The corporation announced that it's rolling out the ability to make payments with a near-field communication (NFC) enabled smartphone starting this year. Throughout 2012, the full payment system will be rolled out in the US through a previously announced joint venture with Apple and Verizon. The system, to be known as T-Mobile's Mobile Wallet, will let users make payments simply by waving an NFC-equipped phone near a payment kiosk. The company believes that mobile payments that replace cash, such as buying a 72-ounce Slurpee at the local Kwik-E-Mart, are going to be the most popular form of transaction, followed by the ability to use the Mobile Wallet to pay for ticket transactions on public or private transportation. Some of the other capabilities of Mobile Wallet include the ability to get customized coupons on your phone and support for loyalty programs, such as supermarket discount cards. Since losing an NFC-equipped phone would be akin to losing a wallet, security features are included to protect against phone theft or loss. There's no word on whether the NFC capability will be built into future iPhones or if a special case will be required. [via Engadget]
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announce Isis national mobile commerce network
Just in time for the total economic collapse of Europe and the rise of the cyber-nomadic tribes, the kids at Discover, Barclaycard, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have a name for their mobile phone-based payment system: Isis. Essentially it remains what we heard from Bloomberg a few months back: a system for using an app on your phone to send payments to a POS system using NFC technology. The Isis team thinks it has "the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis," and we wish them the best. But we know how it all ends anyways: with the lucky among us dead, and the rest of us living in caves, hiding from death-dealing robots, and bartering for what we can't scrounge from the ruins of our once-great cities. PR after the break.
