MasterCard has announced the launch of a new service that is meant to make mobile payments more secure and convenient. The MasterCard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) is designed to “tokenize” a consumer’s financial information, making it more secure against exploitation. Security is one of the major concerns consumers have when participating in mobile commerce. Because some mobile platforms and services are not protected by comprehensive security measures, consumer financial information can sometimes be put at risk. MasterCard intends to transform the way mobile payments are made with its new service. MDES aims to transform any mobile device into a payment tool, allowing it to …

Pep Boys reports promising results after using Apple’s Passbook and Android’s Google Wallet to enhance mobile wallet features and offer quick, redeemable coupons to customers. The nationwide automotive service and retail chain was one of the first brands in its category to mobilize its offers using Apple’s Passbook and Google Wallet. While Passbook has not caught on as quickly as some expected, the app stands to benefit following Apple’s announcement last week regarding Apple Pay.

Along with the list of expected partners for Apple Pay this week was a bit of a surprise: McDonald's. How did the Golden Arches, not an outfit known for its association with cutting-edge technology and gadgets, get on Tim Cook's radar? It turns out the partnership was the fruit of a year-long effort that began with the hiring of Amazon exec Atif Rafiq last October. Rafiq, the SVP and global digital officer at McDonald's, calls himself "Employee No. 1 for McDigital" at the fast-food chain. He oversees a unit that now includes two-dozen execs from PayPal, Yahoo, Tesco and Ticketmaster, …

As the initial burst of hype over the Apple Pay mobile payment platform (and the glitchy live feed of its announcement, U2’s surprise new digital album release and chic style of the “Scarf Guy)” fades, it’s time to take a more in-depth look at the merits of the platform. While Apple Pay will probably not obliterate the market for traditional wallets or competing digital wallet solutions, it does possess some unique competitive advantages that should make Apple Pay a major factor in the world of mobile commerce. Here are three of the biggest advantages Apple Pay offers to both its …

Yesterday, PayPal had a full page ad posted in The New York Times with the tagline as: “We the people want our money safer than our selfies. PayPal, protecting the people economy.” It can be said that PayPal was clearly targeting the recent data breaches which took place through the iCloud service. The data stolen involved photos of celebrities. PayPal might have used the ad to indirectly criticize Apple’s ability to provide payment services. It’s a known fact that Apple Pay is seen as a direct competitor to long-standing payment systems like PayPal. PayPal might perceive Apple Pay as a …

“Think about it as a very small lighthouse...”This description, used by beacon manufacturer Estimote, is a good way to sum up the technology – helpfully concise in a field where more specialised terms, such as “geo-fencing”, abound. More specifically, beacons are tiny transmitters, about the size of a coin, that use Bluetooth low energy (BLE) proximity-sensing to send a signal that can be picked up by a compatible app and operating system. The beacons transmit their signal over three ranges: immediate (within a few centimetres); near (a couple of metres); and far (up to 70 metres). A beacon can tell …

Despite many different mobile marketingstrategies and attempts at campaigns that will provide consumers with the ideal cross channel experience that will be able to reach them in a meaningful way that will encourage them to act on what they have seen. While mobile marketing companies know that this is the case, actually figuring out how to track any given consumer from one platform to the next has provided them with a highly challenging experience. This is among the reasons that many client side marketers have revealed that advertising and promoting over a string of different channels is among their lead priorities as of …

As brands and retailers explore the opportunity with mobile wallets, consideration should be given to how they can be used to gain the attention of millennials, who have careful spending habits and technologically inclined mindsets. According to a recent report by Bankrate.com, 63 percent of millennials do not own a credit card. While technology is already ingrained in millennials, they are likely already drawn to mobile wallet solutions.

A joint venture between mobile operators meant to grab them a slice of the payments industry via smartphone 'wave and pay’ services has been drastically scaled back, just as Apple prepares to move in on the market with the iPhone 6. Weve, a company owned by EE, O2 and Vodafone, has abandoned plans for a standard 'mobile wallet’ service that it was hoped would make it easier for retailers and banks to work with the operators.

One of the logos that wasn’t splashed across the screen during the launch of Apple Pay was PayPal.Bill Ready, CEO of PayPal’s Braintree unit, sat down with MPD CEO Karen Webster to answer some tough questions about whether or not PayPal sees Apple as a major game changer or disruptor, what he believes their next move will be and PayPal’s future course. KW: We’ve all seen and now know a bit about Apple’s plans for mobile payments – Apple Pay. During the launch, we saw lots of logos flashing on the screen, but PayPal wasn’t one of them. Why not? BR: We work with …