mobile payments
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FaceCash mobile payment apps are like real money, only with your face on it instead of someone smart
ThinkLink's FaceCash mobile payment system has debuted several apps (for BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android devices) which allow you to pay for things merely by scanning your phone -- and showing off the attached photo to confirm it is, in fact, your own money that you're spending. You sign up, link your FaceCash account to your personal checking and savings account, and you're good to go with participating merchants. The apps can also store credit card numbers and banking information (perfect for when you lose your phone during a night of heavy partying), making it easier to leave your wallet or purse behind... or so they say. Sadly, FaceCash currently only has merchants in California, and really, who wants to live there?
Square mobile payment system goes live on iPhone, iPad, and Android this week (video)
We've been intrigued by the Square Payment System since it first ditched its Squirrel costume back in 2009, and now it appears we're on the eve (or eve of the eve, or pretty close anyway) to its release for not only the iPhone, but for the iPad and for Android as well. The software is said to be hitting App Stores and Markets this week, working with a sugar cube-sized card reader that pops into the 3.5mm headphone jack, a device that the company is giving away for free to those who sign up. Using it will not be free, with retailers paying fees starting at 2.75 percent plus a 15 cent surcharge, but that's considerably cheaper than many other options out there (which often require costly hardware to boot). There's another new video after the break, and we can't wait for these things to start showing up at the farmer's market. No more early morning ATM runs! Update: Apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices are now live in their respective download abodes. None will require that you enter a single digit of your credit card. [Thanks, Ed]
First Data and Tyfone announce partnership for NFC payments by microSD card
We've already seen Visa team up with DeviceFidelity to deliver NFC payments via microSD card, and it looks like they now have some company from First Data and Tyfone, who have just announced a partnership of their own to help bring the technology to the cellphone-toting masses. At the heart of their system is Tyfone's SideTap card made by NXP Semiconductors (pictured after the break), which is not only able to function as an actual memory card in addition to a NFC payment device, but should cost about the same as a regular memory card of the same capacity as well. Using a microSD card instead of a phone with built-in NFC technology also cuts out the need for carriers or phone manufacturers to be involved, which is apparently where First Data comes in, as it will responsible for bringing the cards to consumers (in addition to dealing with retailers, carriers and financial institutions). Complete details on a rollout still seem to be a bit up in the air, but the two companies are promising that it will hit the market in the second half of 2010, with trials slated to begin mid-year.
Mophie iPhone credit card reader coming to a CES near you
iPhone accessory maker and recession antidote regular Mophie is about to make the most buzzworthy move of its short history by offering a credit card reader and accompanying transaction app for the Apple handset. Positioned as a direct competitor to Jack Dorsey's Square iPhone Payment System, Mophie's solution looks to be integrated into an iPhone case -- making it possible to keep the reader on permanently, albeit at a slight cost to your device's aesthetics. The decidedly cube-shaped Square system has a less ergonomic design, but we suspect that the winner (if either of these two succeeds) will be primarily determined by the usability of the app and affordability of the service. Look out for more info to emerge at some point during the maelstrom that will be CES 2010.
VeriFone Payware Mobile iPhone peripheral looking ready to square off with, er, Square
Sure, it's not quite as elegant as a little cube jutting out of one corner of the iPhone à la Square, but it looks like the Payware Mobile could certainly double as a pretty sturdy case should it drop. More importantly, the backing of VeriFone means this mobile payment peripheral has some pretty important backing and should be able to hit the ground running. That magical date should be January 15th of next year, free on a 2-year Payware Connect contract, and pre-orders are now live on the website for those who want to join in on the phone. Just one word of advice: when you hand the iPhone over for someone to sign as proof of purchase, make sure you're able to outrun the chap. Just in case. [Thanks, Jason]
GSM Association proudly endorses NFC and Carrier ENUM
The GSM Association has been gung-ho about near-field communications (NFC) for a good while now, but just recently at a meeting in Macau did it take the opportunity to officially proclaim its support for NFC and Carrier ENUM. As for the former, it's urging manufacturers to have NFC technology (which is most commonly used for mobile payment systems) in "mainstream mobile phones by mid-2009 by using the standardized single wire protocol (SWP) interface, which enables communications between NFC hardware and a SIM card." Furthermore, it gave a hearty thumbs-up to ENUM (previously known as Number Resolution Service), which is an IETF-sanctioned standard for converting traditional phone numbers into IP addresses. It also announced that a related service (dubbed PathFinder) was generally available to mobile and fixed network operators from NeuStar. All this sounds fine and dandy, but what we're really interested in is what these folks did in Macau after the business was settled. Lucky...[Via phonescoop, image courtesy of ISOC]Read - Official GSMA support for ENUMRead - Support for NFC / ENUM
Mobile payments coming to Mexico
Like Canada, Mexico's getting mobile payments, too, but these are just a bit different in two very important respects. One, this is a full-fledged service being underwritten by Telefonica, Iusacell, Citibank, and BBVA -- not just a trial. Two, unlike the NFC-based Canadian system, this one will rely on text messages to get the cash flowing. The service is expected to launch in the next few months and get backing from restaurants, stores, and taxis, all places where we can recall specific times when we would've rather kept our wallets in our pockets when the time came to pony up. Of course, considering how miserably unsuccessful mobile payments have been across North America so far (we've still got our fingers crossed that NFC is going to take off one of these days), this one could die off as quickly as it started unless it catches a break and goes big.
NFC-equipped phone surfaces at FCC... with Citi logo
We've handled handsets with unorthodox keypads before, but there's quite a bit more about this here device that's off-kilter than just a unique method of input. Discovered in the always unpredictable database of the FCC, the Mobicom-built mobile plays on the 850 / 1900 GSM bands and features a built-in MP3 player, file manager, speakerphone and accelerometer -- you know, for accessing icons by simply tilting the phone. The most astounding inclusion, however, isn't the integrated NFC technology that allows users to make payments on the go, but rather the unmistakable logo of a financial services company. Sitting front and center. On a cellphone. Something tells us this thing better print greenbacks if it hopes to seriously lure any suits away from their precious BlackBerrys. [Via PhoneScoop]
Kenya gets SMS-based money transfers
Mobile commerce is taking some parts of the world by storm right now, and Kenya didn't want to be left out of the party. The country's largest mobile carrier has introduced a service to allow monetary payments to be made by SMS, guaranteeing that just about any customer can use the new service. Safaricom's M-Pesa mobile transaction service was developed by Vodafone and is expected to revolutionize Kenya's banking industry according to official reports. Not only will all Kenyans with a Safaricom subscription be able to make mobile payments by text message, but they'll also be able to keep a decent amount of pocket change in a "virtual account" to be used for mobile purchases. [Via textually.org]
Mobile carriers making it easy to send money home
With tons on top of tons of content making way to the mobile space (where are all those .mobi websites?), it seems natural for payments and the processing of transactions to make their way to the mobile arena as well. But without the support of major banks involved, these efforts won't go far -- but good news is afoot. This week at 3GSM in Barcelona, mobile carriers are teaming up with banks to make it easier and cheaper to send money over the airwaves. No, you can't turn bills into RF waves or anything, but the new partnership (if it can be called that) will allow immigrants and migrant workers to send money home using mobile phones. We're not sure from the PR stuff, but everyone else won't be able to use this new "service". Just kidding -- but when sending small amounts of cash from here to there, those that make smaller piles of it need a method without fees that eat into, well, their money. Can you imagine a 24% fee for sending $50? Goodness sakes.
