Mobile Payments

Following is a current collection of mobile payments needs with the latest news from around the world.

Cash Tops Bitcoin and Mobile Payments Around the World

There are some differences in how people pay for goods across the different countries. Though Americans primarily use cash—accounting for 46% of all transactions—they use it less than residents of other countries. Germans and Austrians, meanwhile, carry around and use the most cash, while the Dutch rely on debit cards. Paper checks are also still prevalent in France and the U.S. Via time.com

Apple Rejects ‘Samsung Pay Mini’ App on the App Store Ahead of Its Big January Launch

Samsung Pay Mini won’t launch on the App Store in the near future, as Apple has rejected the company’s mobile payment application for unknown reasons. Tech giant has rejected registration of Samsung’s mobile payment option on its app store without explanation. Samsung Pay Mini is a mobile payment service that the company planned to launch for Android and iOS platforms in January. Via coinspeaker.com

Google brings Android Pay to Japan

“Starting today, Android Pay — the new digital wallet for Android smartphones — is available in Japan, helping you pay for things and earn loyalty points quickly and conveniently when you are on-the-go. We are launching with Rakuten Edy, so you can use Android Pay at over 470,000 locations in Japan that accept Rakuten Edy eMoney — including shops like Bic Camera, Family Mart, Lawson, McDonald’s and Yodobashi Camera”, says Pali Bhat, Global Head of Payment Products, Google. Via betanews.com

Amex adds new Messenger payment feature

These card members will be able to effortlessly make purchases in games and on shop sections of business pages and participate in Messenger commerce experiences. This added feature will help bolster Amex’s chatbot offerings, which already includes giving users notifications about balances, benefits, and recent purchases.  The bot will keep Amex engaged with its consumers at their convenience.  Using a chatbot is aiding Amex in engaging customers. Amex can leverage its chatbot to bring engaging, interactive opportunities directly to where consumers already spend much of their time, rather than pushing those consumers to seek out an additional app — messaging apps are used nine times a day on average, significantly more then the average app, which is used twice daily, according to a study by Flurry Analytics. Via businessinsider.com

Tipping the scales on mobile payments

According to the Mastercard Impact of Innovation Study, 73% of South African consumers are ready to pay with their mobile phones. That’s why we are seeing the rise of innovative payments apps that enable you to use QR codes or contactless technology to make payments – whether you’re paying a municipal bill, buying prepaid airtime or purchasing a cappuccino in your favourite coffee shop. Via itnewsafrica.com

Nintendo in risky mobile games push with paid Super Mario launch on iPhones

TOKYO Nintendo Co will make a big push into mobile gaming on Thursday with the launch of the popular Super Mario Bros franchise on the iPhone, a risky bet because users will need to pay upfront, at a time when the gaming market is getting crowded. Via reuters.com

Demonetization: Payment apps surge 4.6 times since note ban, says Morgan Stanley; SBI, Paytm leadership

Morgan Stanley has said that after December 5, download activity has further increased. (Reuters) The acute shortage of cash following demonetisation has seen greater use of payment apps at both banks and standalone wallets, reports Hita Gupta in New Delhi. A study by Morgan Stanley shows daily download activity has increased anywhere between 1.7 times and 4.6 times compared with average levels seen before the old high-value currency notes of R1,000 and R500 denomination ceased to be legal tender on November 8. Via financialexpress.com

Mobile-Payment Firms Benefit From India’s Cash Crunch

Indian mobile-payment firms say the government’s move to shrink the country’s massive informal cash economy has given them an unexpected record windfall. “If we continue at this pace, within a month or two we will have made more progress than since our inception” in 2009, said MobiKwik founder Bipin Preet Singh. “The government is creating large-scale awareness and basically doing advertising for us,” he said. Via wsj.com