Isis is launching the Isis Alliance Program, which supports merchant technology ecosystem partners with exclusive tools and resources to help them capitalize on the opportunities created by mobile commerce. The latest version of the Isis Mobile Wallet is now available to consumers nationwide for download in the Google Play app store and at thousands of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless retail stores nationwide. The Isis Mobile Wallet allows customers to pay at contactless payment terminals, and to save money through special offers and loyalty cards at participating merchants-all from their Isis Ready smartphone.

The well known Oyster cards used for London's transportation system could soon be a thing of the past if the contactless mobile payments solution proves to be successful next year after it is implemented. This could represent a considerable change in the technology that is used by the transit system. The test of the contactless mobile payments will begin this month and is expected to run for two full months. It will involve the participation of 5,000 people who regularly use the Tube, the Overground, or the DLR. They will be able to tap their way into and out of …

H&M is pulling double duty in building up both its email and SMS databases with a new in-store initiative that doles out instant coupons in exchange for signing up for alerts from the retailer. The retailer is taking advantage of the increase in foot traffic during the holidays by placing mobile calls-to-action on print collateral. While most retailers leverage mobile for either email or SMS initiatives, what is interesting about H&M's use of mobile is that it is being used for both. "All in-store collateral should align to a business goal, with a purpose and context that are both clear …

American grill and sushi bar Kona Grill has revamped its gift card platform with a mobile component as holiday sales begin to ramp up. To promote the new gift cards, Kona is giving buyers a $20 bonus for every $100 they spend on gift cards. Kona partnered with digital gifting company CashStar to power the program. "According to the Retail Gift Card Association's 'Holiday Gift Card Trend Tracker' survey, 57 percent of respondents plan on giving a restaurant gift card this year and 64 percent chose restaurant gift cards as their most coveted, the most of any category," said Ben …

Quick response codes have long been a powerful marketing and consumer engagement tool. As the codes become more popular, their use in mobile commerce is beginning to grow. MasterCard, which has a relatively strong interest in mobile commerce, has taken aim at QR codes, hoping to make them more attractive and suitable for mobile ventures. MasterCard has launched a new application called QkR, available for iOS and Android devices. The application is capable of scanning any quick response code that a user may come across. The application is designed to make it easier for people to engage in mobile commerce …

PayPal has become an aggressive force in the mobile payments arena. The company has been establishing a strong presence in several mobile markets around the world and has become one of the most accessible mobile payment platforms because it is not based solely on NFC technology. PayPal has launched a new service in Germany that is meant to further bolster its presence in the European mobile sector. This service was launched with the help of Orderbird, a startup mobile commerce firm based in Germany.

Macy's and Frank & Oak are two brands leveraging new types of Bluetooth technology this holiday season to bolster loyalty and in-store engagement. Although there are a few best-practice tips, marketers have plenty of room to experiment with the new technology this year. The introduction of new Bluetooth products from Apple, PayPal and others over the past few months has fueled a new interest in the technology for retailers this year with in-store transmitters called beacons. Savvy marketers are testing beacons this year to supercharge in-store and mobile efforts for 2014.

Leading market research firm yStats has released a new report concerning the global mobile commerce sector. The report, aptly named "Global Mobile and M-Commerce Report 2012," highlights the growth that the mobile commerce sector had seen throughout the entirety of 2012 and what this growth could mean for the future. The mobile space has been gaining a significant amount of attention from businesses and consumers alike and many have been gravitating toward the new form of commerce that has emerged thanks to the advent of new technology. According to the report, the global mobile commerce sector saw impressive growth during …

4G coverage has sparked an increase in m-commerce, content consumption and an improved perception of mobile advertising according to early insights gained through Orange Exposure 2013/14 research. The annual independent survey by TNS into media habits across the UK, France and Spain, this year takes a look at the impact of 4G networks on consumer behaviour exploring the increasingly digitised 'path to purchase' for the first time. Fuelled by faster download speeds and greater bandwith, 4G users were found to be consuming more content than ever before, with 30 per cent of UK 4G users regularly downloading videogames, compared with …

Consumers actually favor ease-of-use more than the latest device specifications, with many intimidated by jargon and technical data, when choosing a new smartphone. A new survey from WDS, a Xerox company, also shows that a physical retail store remains the most popular destination for purchasing a new smartphone. Sixty-seven percent of consumers treat it as their primary destination while only 19% of buyers older 60 would buy their device online.