NFC Mobile Payment Solutions Are Taking Off

Over the recent course of technological advancements one area of continuous growth and development has been mobile computing, specifically focusing on smartphones. The massive adoption by the public of touchscreen smartphones, ultraportable netbooks and tablet computers has led to new technologies utilizing these devices as a way to make everyday life easier. One such technology that is taking off rapidly is NFC mobile payment options. This form of contactless payment allows a user to make a purchase and send an amount of money in seconds using only a smartphone and an NFC-equipped machine or register.

NFC stands for "near field communications." It is a technology that allows two equipped devices to communicate with each other by only being near one another, with no contact or other input necessary. Typically the technology that powers NFC resides on a small chip and piece of software, allowing any mobile device to possess NFC capabilities if it's installed beforehand. For that reason most major smartphone manufacturers have taken to putting NFC capability into newer models of phones, allowing millions of people to use an item they carry with them everyday to make an NFC mobile payment.

NFC enables contactless payment between a buyer with an enabled device and an NFC-enabled terminal or register that accepts the payment. If someone uses an NFC mobile phone to purchase gas, they would swipe it in front of the specified area on the pump which would read the NFC data tied to the user's payment account and debit that account the preferred amount. With the swipe of a hand a transaction that usually takes minutes plus waiting in line is completed in a second. The idea that any purchase or monetary exchange can be done so simply has led to these mobile payment solutions taking off worldwide. Larger companies with more and more locations and uses are adopting the NFC technology to make quick payments. Banks use it to allow account holders to make deposits or transfers with a wave of their phone. Large retailers use it at express checkout lines for people who only have an item or two to pay and get on their way.

NFC mobile payment is not limited only to smartphones either. Banks have begun putting these chips into credit and debit cards so that payments can be made even quicker than cards normally allow. Because NFC can be put into just about any device, the speed at which the payment technology has taken off is astonishing and shows no signs of slowing.

To see how contactless payments is transforming mobile technologies and commerce; check out the website.

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Apple Taking Steps to Make iPad the Mobile Business Tool of the Future

The demand for an entire mobile strategy has begun to grow at a rapid rate in the enterprise world. This is no secret to Apple who has been edging their way into the enterprise app market for the past few years. Armed with a wide array of already published mobile business apps and a wildly popular tablet Apple is looking to take over RIM's spot as the number one provider of mobile business solutions. One of Apple's first goals in achieving this is to make the iPad the business tool of the future.

To prove that the iPad is not just a gaming console and web browser Apple is launching a worldwide campaign to bring in mobile app developers to develop business centric apps. One of the biggest areas that Apple has tapped is Vancouver which is home to an abundance of software companies that have been known to create high quality mobile business apps. Some companies have even switched their attention to solely developing iPad specific business apps.

The iTunes store is comprised of 90 percent consumer apps. To be thought of as a true leader in mobile business app technology Apple will need thousands of more apps to even compete with BlackBerry. One senior mobile industry analyst, Kevin Restivo, with International DataCorporation in Toronto believes that "There's a lot to be done by Apple and the developers," and even went on to quip, "There are a lot of glorified calculators out there."

Apple's new mission threatens to overtake Research in Motion's BlackBerry platform which once had a strangle hold on the enterprise market. It also sets Apple apart from its biggest competitor in Google, making it more than just a consumer based company. RIM is not planning to give up easy though with plans in motion to take back the mobile enterprise app throne. RIM's BlackBerry Play Book has all but failed to make a big difference for the company, but they are retooling it in hopes to compete with the iPad in the enterprise world. RIM is also offering incentives to mobile app developers to develop mobile business apps for the BlackBerry app store.

In an effort to expand their reach further Apple has made a point to focus on business apps of all sizes. They understand that large corporations are not the only entities that can benefit from the use of mobile business apps on the iPad. The iPad allows small business owners to be in charge of operations while performing tasks such as invoicing, budgets, and ordering from anywhere. Small business apps may even be considered a higher necessity than larger enterprise apps due to the overwhelming need for them in the market.

Even with Apple's push to take over the business sector with the iPad many analysts still believe that RIM has nothing to worry about. While Apple may be making strides in mobile business offerings analysts point to RIM's overabundance of experience as the key to their continued success. Apple has a long way to go and many challenges to face before they will be able to play at the same level as BlackBerry when it comes to mobile business solutions. While it may seem as though Apple is just dipping their toes in the water some believe that Apple new that this is the direction they planned on going with the iPad all along.

Bob Newman is a senior blogger at On the GoWARE. On the GoWARE is the leading mobile app development firm located in Woodland Hills, CA (Los Angeles - Southern California). Specializing in business and enterprise applications, they have a global impact servicing a broad spectrum of clients: from small startups to large enterprises. They are partnered with the Mobile Development Institute to provide nationally recognized mobile app development certifications in iOS, Android, and BlackBerry app development.

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