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16/08/2010 -
Following announcements by mobile carriers AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, as well as direct competitor Google, Apple has hired wireless payment expert Benjamin Vigier to develop payment technology for its iPhone.Vigier, who has worked in near-field communications since 2004, was brought on by the company to develop a contact-free payment system for the iPhone similar to those used in subway stations and on buses, Fast Company writes.
According to the site, the new technology would allow smartphones to supplant credit cards as a more secure and convenient method of payment. Rather than handing over a credit card and allowing stores to access personal information including PIN numbers and bank data, consumers would be able to pay through their phone - the store would never see a consumer’s financial information.
So far, this technology has taken hold in relatively few markets since its main benefit has been its contact-free nature. However, the recent boom in smartphones has introduced technology that could allow retailers to send ads, loyalty card points, free apps and even games to a customer’s smartphone.
If developed, the technology will receive major competition from Google’s mobile device Android - which has already surpassed the iPhone in sales - and its new payment program Google Checkout. The program will allow users to scan QR codes with their Android phones, Brickhouse Security writes.
