Tag Archives: Smartphone

Android Payment Technologies – The Death of Physical Cash Seems Eminent

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One of the major points which consistently arises in evaluating the perks of the Android platform is its superiority as a mobile payment device. Mobile payment is the future. Of what use is a credit card or even cash when it’s purpose can just as easily be served on a smartphone with additional convenience? As mobile payment technologies continue to evolve, the death of physical cash seems eminent.

 Google Wallet, first released in 2011, is the major mobile payment technology used for Android. Google Wallet supports all major credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. By storing all of the user’s credit card information on the cloud, Google Wallet makes it easy to pay for anything whether in-store or online.

Most Android payment technologies utilize NFC, or Near Field Communications, a set of standards for smartphones which allows communications by touching or putting the devices in close proximity. NFC allows you to pay for purchases through your smartphone without the hassle of paper or signage, all one needs to do to make a purchase is either tap the smartphone against a NFC compatible device or have it in proximity.

The major critique of NFC technology is the lack of security and cost of implementing the technology. Recent advancements have brought upon the development of Host Card Emulation, which makes it cheaper for merchants to install NFC technology into their organization and allows for secure transactions wherever the user pleases.

While Android remains the leader in mobile payment technologies, Samsung is currently giving them a run for their money with the Galaxy S5. The S5 is the first smartphone to utilize fingerprint technology to authorize payments. Fingerprint technology eliminates the need for passwords or PINs, not only making payments more secure, but protecting the user’s other accounts which often utilize the same complex password or PIN.

The numerous competitors in the mobile payment technologies market only goes to show the demand for mobile payment solutions. If your business expects to compete in any given market, it’s vital to eliminate any and all stresses in the process of purchasing. More to come shortly… Stay Tuned!

Why Android Rules the Mobile Application Market

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In the world of smartphones, two mobile devices reign supreme: Android and iPhone. The war between Android and iPhone is ongoing, and it’s safe to say as technology evolves, the leader of the pack will shift. Android, at the moment, is the more popular platform for a number of reasons.  At Mystic Media, as a forward-thinking mobile development company, we recommend developing for both iOS and Android to make the most of your dollar.

The basic difference between Android and iPhone application development is simple. Android uses an open-source platform.  The source code for Android is available to the public, making it the more developer-friendly platform.

Although Apple gets a greater percentage of the mobile smartphone revenue due to the iPhone’s larger price, Android holds a greater percentage of the market share.  Over 50 percent of the global smartphone market uses Android.  Applications for Android reach a larger user base, thus there’s a greater audience for your application.

iPhone is a gourmet smartphone. It has a smaller market, but a faster operating system. In this department, Android is playing catch-up; however, Android is currently working toward creating a smartphone titled “Android Silver” which will have a faster operating system to compete with the speed of the iPhone.  The greater variety of Android smartphones means a greater variety of consumers with eyes on your application.

The process of getting your application approved is much, MUCH easier for Android.  iTunes is notoriously slow in approving applications.  Apple has a strict set of rules evaluating what applications they are willing to approve and what they will deny. When Opera, a well-established internet browser, designed a browsing application for iPhones, they held a contest taking bets on the amount of time it would take Apple to approve their app.  In the end, it took nearly a month. With Android, one simply designs the app, writes a description, sets a price, and it’s done–pushed out into a the Google Play store to a massive global market.

Looking forward, Android continues to grow, in fact, Android is the fastest growing technology product in history. In 23 quarters, Apple’s IOS hit 700 million users–an amazing feat in its own right. Android, on the other hand, took 20 quarters to hit 1 BILLION users. Android’s current global market share of smartphone operating systems is set around 80%. Android also controls the first time buyer market, which means as more consumers grow with the device, it’s market share will only increase.

The numbers are simple and speak the truth. Android is the more popular platform. It’s easier for application development and it’s easier to monetize and market your applications. You will reach a greater audience developing for Android, and that audience will only continue to grow. At Mystic Media, we specialize in Android application development. Our expertise in creating and marketing mobile applications for both platforms is unrivaled in our field.

For more information, feel free to contact us at https://www.mysticmediasoft.com/ or by phone at 801.994.6815.