With smartphones becoming the most handy and never-forgotten things in the life, companies are leaving no stone unturned at tapping the potential of mobility. One of the markets that is asking for disruption, with great untapped potential is Retail. Yoyo, a London based startup, says their platform enables simpler and faster buying of goods via smartphone. The company announced on 23rd May 2014, that it had acquired $5 Mn in seed funding via Imperial Innovations, new venture platform Firestartras well as existing backer Telefonica Group. Yoyo was founded in the year 2013 by the team of entrepreneurs including Alain Falys, …

You can now pay for your "double double" with your smartphone. Tim Hortons Inc. announced today that its mobile payment option is available at all of its locations across Canada and the U.S. The Oakville, Ont.-based coffee chain started pilot testing the technology - in which customers tap their devices and pay with the TimmyMe app on iOS, Android and BlackBerry 10 - at select outlets in December.

Groupon, the massive daily deals website that had been a tremendous success before it nearly brought itself to the point of annihilation, has entered into the mobile payments market in an effort to try to restore some of its former victories in the online world. This launch represents the first time that Groupon has moved into the mobile payments POS market. Its Gnome is a platform that is based on the iPad. It is designed to be a solution that will eliminate the requirement for using paper coupons that must be clipped and submitted by the shopper.

With mobile bookings growing, United Airlines is ramping up its mobile strategy to help drive sales, having introduced redesigned applications earlier this month for iOS and Android and plans in place to upgrade its Web site later this year. United announced plans last fall for a total revamping of its online and mobile offerings, which came only weeks after it missed estimates for third-quarter earnings, while its competitors experienced record results. "What we've realized is thumbs don't stretch all that far," said Scott Wilson, United's vice president of merchandising and e-commerce, Chicago.

Japan's Line Corp., creator of the fast-growing social messaging app Line, said Wednesday that it will begin a pilot program June 10 to host flash sales for consumer brands in Taiwan, one of its largest markets in the world. Taiwanese Line users can add an official account for the "Line Flash Sale" to their "friends" list from Thursday, which will give them access to exclusive sale events on the platform, including sales of cosmetics, footwear and Line's own branded merchandise.

Merchants offering order ahead capabilities via mobile application Q App are seeing a positive impact on both the customer experience and venue operations. A recent Mobile Commerce Daily article discussed how a number of digital wallet providers are adding order ahead capabilities to their own branded apps and suggested these capabilities are not likely to be a killer mobile wallet use case thanks to several challenges (see story). However, a Q App executive argues that by creating a larger ecosystem around order ahead, it can in fact be the basis of a mobile wallet with strong consumer appeal. "I would …

At long last,consumers can pay for their mobile commerce purchases with only the swipe of a finger. Using fingerprint-based identification, biometric technology allows for the ultimate in mobile checkout and, because fingerprints are unique, mobile commerce security. EBay Inc.'s PayPal recently began enabling consumers with the new Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone to pay at any e-retailer that accepts PayPal on its mobile commerce web site with just the swipe of a finger. Biometrics is the latest step in the evolution of mobile security, and PayPal's biometric feature is a perfect example of how retailers today are relying on vendors to …

Sonia Carter, the head of digital and social media in Europe for Mondelez, spoke at the recent IAB conference with regards to the use of geolocation technology, telling brands that while the use of this location based targeting is a "massive" step for the mobile channel, but she also cautioned them not to dive in head first. The recommendation that was made by Carter was to proceed with caution in terms of the use of geolocation technology that tracks the position or behaviors of consumers and that these brands should place a greater investment into testing what does and does …

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. has enhanced its Discovery Guide app, with plans to incorporate a mobile wallet and empower guests with on-demand, one-touch purchasing. This summer, the anticipated mobile wallet will allow park guests to instantaneously purchase upgrades to pass long lines with Quick Queue, or buy the All-Day Dining Deal without having to reroute. During visits to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sesame Place, guests who download the enhanced mobile app will be met with a more personalized and interactive experience leveraged by multiple digital technologies.

Mobile shopping peaks between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to the Internet Retailer-exclusive monthly Shopgate Mobile Commerce Index. Where people used to just watch TV, they now are dividing their attention between two screens, TV and mobile, enabling more time for online shopping during the course of a typical day, Shopgate says. Who needs the desktop PC all the way back in the spare room when you can simply, and simultaneously, use an untethered mobile device while kicking back on your couch and watching "Game of Thrones"?