Mobile Groove

You say tomato, I say tomoto goes the old refrain. We are seeing similar disagreement among research firms over not only how to define “mobile payments” but also on the forecasted size of mobile payment transactions. For the past 10 years, “mobile commerce” was the most popular term that most people used to describe any transaction using their phones. Recently, this term has been overtaken by both “mobile payments” and “mobile shopping.” Another term is “mobile proximity pay…

Beyond the athletes who will become household names over the next few weeks, the London Olympics are the coming-out party for multi-screen viewing.

Yes, the shift to multi-device multi-tasking is real — in fact, it’s a trend we have observed for months that will have a profound impact on mobile marketing. Already the Pew Internet and American Life Project tells us that half of all adult mobile phone owners now reach to their mobile devices to enhance and enjoy their television-watching experi…

Buying, paying, transacting, banking — these are all part of what we have come to call mobile commerce. With such a broad definition and so many scenarios it’s little wonder that mobile commerce now tops the list of mobile-megatrends. Interestingly, what people want (and the impact on financial institutions, mobile operators and companies across the emerging ecosystem) differs depending on the region where you operate and the opportunities you pursue. An essential read is the 2012 ed…

At M-Pulse it’s a month dedicated to mobile developer issues and we talk mobile app business basics opportunities with Ray Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Bango, a U.K.-based billing and analytics company that enables mobile developers to collect money for their apps.

But it’s not just about providing a platform that makes it possible for mobile app developers to sell apps and collect payments using carrier billing. Bango has cleverly inserted itself at the center of the burgeoning App Economy, collecting data and insights (about how users pay and how they prefer to be treated when they make their next purchase). It’s a stockpile of anonymized data that allows app

Will 2012 be the year of mobile commerce? If this is indeed a momentous year for mobile retail and transactions of all kinds, then what will happen to the mix of payment options and players currently jockeying for position? Should we expect a showdown between credit card companies, carriers, banks, aggregators and the likes of PayPal? In the midst of all the massive growth and disruption will we see mega-acquisitions, or are all the companies that could achieve $10 billion+ price tags in the first place taken?

This week’s m-pulse catches up with Chetan Sharma, independent consultant and well-known industry authority, to discuss mobile mega-trends and deep-dive into the results of the 2012 Mobile Industry Predictions Survey. Each year Chetan asks us —the mobile industry — to weigh in on the most newsworthy events and companies, as well as vote for the breakthrough categories, developments and technologies sure to define 2012.

Rob and I also discuss our pick of hot mobile news and data points. I rant about the disconnect between the mobile and retail readiness of luxury brands (lacking to say the least!) and our willingness (even requirement) to interact with luxury brands via our mobile phones and tablets.

Today (!) marks the launch of The Pulse, a new vodcast series produced by Rob Woodbridge, founder and owner of UNTETHER.tv, in collaboration with MobileGroove. We welcome our guest Gary Schwartz, CEO of Impact Mobile, Inc., North America Chair of the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) and author of THE IMPULSE ECONOMY, a book that examines the evolution and future opportunities around mobile commerce and transactions.

Gary’s no-holds-barred analysis of mobile’s impact on bricks-and-mortar retail suggests America’s shopping malls are in for tough times in 2012 as users move from price comparison apps to making real-life purchases using cloud checkout services. We also discuss how Kindle Fire is blazing through the U.S. (and soon Europe), building on the analysis I just posted this week on MobileGroove. What is the likely impact on mobile marketing and how are users in key countries already embracing this new type of connected device? Tune in and find out! (You can follow Gary and all the tweets related to his new book at @impulseeconomy).