Mobile Billing & Payment » mobilegroove

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).

On the heels of last month's survey of mobile telecoms execs across the Asia Pacific region (and a tremendously successful #doxchat Tweetchat that had a global reach of 92,000+), Amdocs is gearing up to release a new report looking at mobile operator attitudes and activities around mobile payments. Here is an exclusive preview of the key findings.

How do mobile operators across the Asia Pacific region view increasing competition from banks, credit card companies and mobile payments middlemen? What is driving mobile operators to mobile marketing and advertising strategies? Why is personalization a primary focus across mobile operator app stores and storefronts?

These are just a few of the questions examined in the new report Fighting Smart: Using Value-Added Services To Create Lasting Customer Loyalty. The report -- written by MobileGroove and commissioned by Amdocs Interactive -- is based on a survey of 120 telecom executives at major mobile operators across Asia Pacific conducted by market research firm Coleman Parkes.

The proliferation of connected devices and platforms has encouraged more than 120 companies and providers – including online retail giant Amazon – to establish an application storefront and get in on the action. More application stores may mean more choice for consumers, but it also turns up the pressure on application store providers to choose the right business model, one that that will bring them mass-market success and competitive advantage. Alexander Vlasblom reveals the characteristics of winning and competitive app stores.

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What matters most to developers as they learn to market and merchandize their apps? What separates successful app stores from

When Netsize published its first report (Application Store Billing) in May 2010, it was the first in the space to identify and document the characteristics of a winning and competitive app store. Based on a survey of 1,000+ mobile professionals and practitioners across 67 countries, the report concluded that the four C’s - Convenience, Compatibility, Choice, and Charging are the top enablers of application store success.

The so-called technology divide is a myth, and so is the belief that, when it comes to mobile, we should baby the Boomers.

I’ve written several times on this website and others about personal experiences that fly in the face of the idea that people over 40 are luddites, incapable and uninterested in using personal technology. My mother-in-law (definitely NOT a digital native) is a shining example. At age 80 she uses a Kindle. And she even mastered Windows 7 in an afternoon. And then there's my older brother (by just a few years). He isn't the earliest adopter in the family, but he is nipping at my heels when it comes to phones, tablets and routers.