Mobile Payment Security – Challenges, Trends, Recommendations, and Tips
Near Field Communication (NFC) is being touted as one of the next big things in the technology world. If reports and gurus are to be believed, the applications of NFC which we see in mobile payments and creative advertising, is just the beginning. Near Field Communication has the potential to take the mobile services and mobile internet experiences to the next level – making those convenient and cutting-edge – and opening host of new opportunities for Internet of Things.
NFC is a short-range communication technology that enables data exchange between devices over about 20 cm distance. It combines the interface of a smartcard and a reader. It is estimated by the year 2018, around 1.9 billion phones worldwide will be NFC-enabled. Based on the transactions to the tune of 200bn a year made by mobile users by 2019, Juniper Research forecasts that the NFC sector is expected to the highest growth rate.
Looking at it from business as well as user’s perspective, there are a wide range of scenarios where NFC is transforming the way businesses are conducted, how communications happen and how people are interacting with various systems.
Here are some awesome examples of how NFC technology has been used very innovatively – These things are not from science fiction movies but are already implemented. Have a look!
- China is using NFC technology in public transport all over the country.
- Smart posters – A user can watch the movie trailer, reviews or any exclusive content or trailer by simply placing his smartphone over a smart poster of the movie
- Many stores in the USA and Japan are already accepting NFC payments
- The Shibuya Clickable Project in Tokyo proposed the idea of placing NFC-enabled stickers on 300 street light poles. It proposed to allow the users to scan their NFC-enabled phones and avail discounts, coupons of nearby shops and cafes.
- Samsung used NFC tags located inside cabs in UK to launch an innovative campaign allowing Robbie Williams fans to get a chance to meet him. The cabs were redecorated with TV screens which showed exclusive backstage footage of previous shows. A call-to-action would appear on the screen after every 30 seconds prompting users to tap on any of the NFC tags located in the cab – once they tap, they were taken to a competition page where they could enter a draw to get a chance to meet Robbie and win some goodies.
- A public library in Japan worked with Fujitsu to add NFC badges to its shelves making it extremely easy for library visitors to obtain information quickly.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain in Singapore offered free drink to all the café visitors when they tap their phones on the NFC tag located across their 51 stores. The tap also generated a ‘Like’ on their Facebook page. - Disney’s MagicBands, the credit-card encoded rubber bracelets, allow Disney visitors to use these bands for Hotel key, theme park ticket and also food/ beverage payments.
During the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, VingCard Elsafe allowed the event staff to use their NFC-enabled handsets to access their hotel rooms. - TNT leveraged NFC-enabled storefront in the U.S to promote its drama series Rizzoli & Isles. Users could simply place their phone near a NFC tag on the storefront and enjoy the unique content delivered to the phone – including an exclusive mobile game, ‘tune-in reminder’ for the show, custom wallpaper, and a video trailer of the show.
We at iRESLab are geared towards helping businesses adapt to the changing way payments and communications. Connect with us if you are looking to implement “the next big thing” in NFC.
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