Everyone knows that Japan has far surpassed the rest of the world in its utilization of all things wireless - that's what happens when most of your population is ultra-fashion conscious and lives in really cramped spaces. So.. "According to an Associated Press report, wireless phones may soon make wallets disappear. In Japan, NTT DoCoMo already has 3 million wireless subscribers using its Mobile Wallet service to purchase items at 20,000 stores and vending machines via their wireless phones. The technology is similar to wireless systems used to pay tolls on many highways and the SpeedPass keychain wand used to buy gas at Exxon Mobile. Similar services may be on the way for the U.S. and Europe. MasterCard International has been testing versions of its PayPass contactless payment technology since 2003 and may begin a significant market trial in 2006. Wireless phones could not only replace credit and debit cards, but also have the ability to supplant checkbooks, Websites, computer programs similar to Quicken and online bill payment services such as PayPal or CheckFree. (Source: Associated Press)"
Of course, this is not a brand new idea. I've talked about this before. One thing that still worries me about this process is the amount of information that can be stored on the phone. There have been some interesting authentication schemes considered though and i am curious which direction this will eventually head in.
In the rest of the world, however, "Cameraphones Continue to Draw Demand. According to an AFP report, cameraphones with sharper optics, larger memory, music playback and high-speed data transfers have become powerful multimedia devices, creating new revenue streams for wireless handset manufacturers and carriers. According to research firm IDC, cameraphones are becoming an essential feature for consumers. (Source: AFP)"
As digital toys become an inextricable part of our lifestyle choices we demand things that entertain us, make our lives more comfortable, let us fit in with scores of others that have the same technology. As camerphones reached the saturation point of adoption, owning one is part of the peer pressure of keeping up with the jones's. It used to be that having a camera-phone was a statement, now not having one is a different kind of distinct statement.
In local wireless news, "Sprint and Verizon Wireless may soon lower the walls on their networks, allowing subscribers greater access to third-party content, including ringtones and graphics. Allowing access to non-network content is common practice for wireless carriers in Europe, as well as U.S. carriers Cingular, Nextel and T-Mobile. (Source: Reuters)" Verizon has a strange record of lowering walls. On the one hand they encourage their users to get more advanced phones with more capabilities, on the other hand they remind me of an early Mac, trying to lock their users into the network (which eventually tends to backfire).
While Verizon and Sprint ponder the next baby-step in the world of thrid-party offerings, BT explores new money-making opportunities: "According to reports, Britain's BT Group plans to enter the multi-billion dollar music download market with a new service allowing wireless subscribers to download tracks for a small fee. The BT Livetime service will be launched as a pilot with Virgin Mobile allowing subscribers to listen to more than 50 radio stations via their wireless handsets. (Source: Reuters)"
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