Twin Peaks, a sports-oriented casual dining chain, is moving into mobile payments and rewards with a branded application that lets consumers split checks and access special offers only redeemable in the app. The MyCheck-supported platform that will be available on the Apple App store and Google Play in late August will allow customers to view, split and pay bills from mobile phones using Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Wallet, debit or credit cards. The feature emphasizes how a branded mobile payments app is a vehicle for driving greater customer engagement, as it literally puts the brand in the hands of consumers …

ING bank is on its way to become the first bank to bring contactless payments services to the Netherlands as it unveils its plan to launch the payments app in summer. Customers owning an Android device with 4.4 KitKat or higher can use the services, provided it is NFC-compatible. The payments app is currently in its final phase where the app is being tested by the firm’s employees. The application is expected to be launched country-wide this summer. However, the date of launch has not been decided yet. Customers who use the bank’s mobile banking app will be able …

Amazon has now received a new mobile security patent that would make it possible for smartphone users to unlock their devices simply by holding them up in order to scan the shape of their ears. The concept of the ear scanning mobile security is not unlike that of a fingerprint scanner. It uses the device’s front facing camera to scan the person’s ear and then conduct a comparison to an image of the owner’s ear that has already been placed on file. The fact is that an individual’s ear is just as unique as his or her fingerprint, which means that aside …

Chinese actress and model “Angelababy” Yang Ying made the first two investments using her venture capital fund AB Capital on Wednesday. She set the fund up this week. The Shanghai-born actress, who is set to appear next year in the Hollywood blockbuster Independence Day 2, snapped up shares in Chinese overseas purchasing e-commerce site Ymatou and beverage brand HeyJuice, according to the two companies’ official blogs on Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo. The size of the investments was not publicly disclosed. Her move to gain at least partial control of Ymatou comes as cross-border e-commerce has been identified by Barclays as one …

Executives from Panera Bread and Westfield Group claimed at CXNYC 2015 that mobile has a critical role in driving the future of commerce at shopping centers and restaurant locations, thanks to disruptive innovations and the growing use of technology such as beacons. During the “Innovating the Customer Experience” session, the executives discussed their respective brands’ innovation efforts, highlighting how personalization and customer loyalty are paramount in rolling out new digital initiatives. Panera Bread has experienced momentous growth in mobile as a result of its mobile ordering and Rapid Pickup option, as well as the MyPanera Rewards platform.

Mobile is an increasingly important channel for luxury marketers, with expanding consumer adoption, growing commerce and most digital content being consumed via tablet or smartphone, according to a new report from Fashionbi. According to “Mobile Apps for the Fashion Industry: How Brands Can Use Mobile to Influence Consumers’ Shopping Habits,” while gaming applications account for 74 percent of the total market, non-gaming apps are expected to become the majority by 2017, making room for branded apps. Luxury brands have sometimes been slow to adopt mobile strategies, but this will be key in engaging consumers, especially over the coming years.

Starbucks Corp. is expanding its mobile order and payment service to about 3,400 stores in 21 new states in the southern and central United States. The company launched mobile order and payment feature as a pilot in Portland, Ore. in Dec. 2014. The mobile payment feature allows Starbucks mobile app users to place their order in advance and pick it up at a selected Starbucks location. It is integrated into the Starbucks app and loyalty program. Starbucks mobile order and payment is now available on the Starbucks app for iPhone at more than 4,000 Starbucks stores. Starbucks plans to expand …

So how will Facebook Bluetooth Beacons work? The beacon determines the location using the guest’s cellular network. This means when guests step foot on your property the beacon will be activiated and transmit information over to the guest’s phone. These beacons will transmit 3 types of information: Prompts guests to like your page and check in, Will show posts from your Facebook page and display recommendations. These recommendations that guests will see are known as ‘Place Tips.’ Guests are able to see any relevant tips left by friends and others who have visited before them. In addition, they will be …

The overall average comfort level of consumers in Asia Pacific shopping on their mobile devices has continued to remain solid, according to the latest results from the MasterCard Mobile Shopping Survey 2014 for Asia Pacific. The survey showed that close to half of respondents in Asia Pacific said that they have made a purchase using their smartphone in the three months preceding the survey, which was conducted between October and December 2014. Those that led were China, at 70.1 percent; India, at 62.9 percent; and Taiwan, at 62.6 percent. Australia trailed in last place, at 19.6 percent, down from last …

The future for Gap Inc. is digital and global. At least that’s the latest vision from Gap CEO Art Peck and senior managers to Wall Street analysts at the company’s annual investor’s meeting Tuesday in San Francisco. On Monday Gap, No. 18 in the  Internet Retailer 2015 Top 500 Guide, announced it would take a one-time charge of $140 million to $160 million mostly in the second quarter to fire 250 people at its San Francisco headquarters and close 175 stores Gap stores over the next two years, including about 140 this year. “Returning Gap brand to growth has been …