While we’ve spent much of this year discussing emerging new consumer technology such as the internet of things, wearables, virtual reality and drones, mobile is not yet ready to step back from the spotlight as the tech that matters most. The secret to the smartphone’s increasing presence in our everyday lives is that its list of uses has continued to grow, making it far more than just a simple communications device.

Retailers have tried to survive by investing in technology to make the customer’s shopping journey more enjoyable, quick and convenient. Such has been the sector's response that many consider retail an industry at the forefront of experimentation with IT and technology. Department store John Lewis recently invested £100,000 in micro-location technology startup Localz, which guides customers around the department store while sending specialised offers directly to their smartphone.

There were speculations that onboard Near Field Communication (NFC) applications for inflight entertainment (IFE) systems could be years away, but Panasonic Avionics has now assured that it will launch the technology with airlines in the summer of 2015. Panasonic will pair NFC-enabled devices with embedded systems, allowing airlines to push information to passengers during their flight, personalize the experience, and support high-value transactions and purchases. Enabling NFC on board would help Panasonic reinforce “seamless passenger travel thread” and will integrate with the industry’s other NFC initiatives in baggage handling, check-in and airport logistics. New EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip …

Office Depot is leading the way in mobile marketing with a new beacon-like strategy enabling shoppers to access offers and other content on their smartphones by connecting with the in-store sound system. When shoppers open the Shazam mobile application in-store to identify a song or audio message, the apps connects with Office Depot’s overhead music system using an inaudible watermark and enabling the delivery of a message. 

Europe, the world’s third largest region by B2C e-commerce sales, shows wide diversity in terms of payment methods used in online shopping, according to a report by Hamburg-based secondary research organization yStats.com. While non-cash payment methods, especially credit cards, dominate in the Western sub-region, cash on delivery and various alternative methods are most used in Eastern European countries. Both sub-regions show potential for mobile payments growth, the report says.

More consumers (40%) say they plan to shop on Cyber Monday than Black Friday (36%). According to a new survey of 1,000 consumers from Verizon Wireless and KRC Research, people in the West (39%) are most likely to go shopping on Cyber Monday compared to other regions (33% Northeast, 36% South, 36% Midwest). Compared to other age groups, Millennials (ages 18-34) are the biggest Cyber Monday shoppers (42%). However, Millennials prefer Black Friday (44%) slightly over Cyber Monday (42%). Those between 35 and 54 prefer Cyber Monday (41%) significantly over Black Friday (33%). About six in 10 (59%) consumers have used …

Shopping online through smartphones is expected to be a game changer shortly and industry experts believe that m-commerce would contribute up to 70 per cent of their total revenues. "In India, the mobile internet traffic now outweighs personal computer traffic. With increasing penetration of smartphones, India is all set to be a massive market for m-commerce. The marketing strategies for e-commerce companies will increasingly be tailored to suit the rising adoption of smartphones, social media and improving customer experience across touch points and platforms," Amazon India Vice President and Country Manager Amit Agarwal said.