Comment OCTOBER 2014
Listening to Apple CEO, Tim Cook, preaching last month to his congregation at the Flint Center, Cupertino, California, he delivered a range of new product announcements from bigger bolder iPhones to the new iOS8 and the much dis- cussed Apple Watch. Most of the announcements had already been leaked in the press, but a big surprise was the reveal that Apple had been working on a NFC (Near Field Communication) Payment solution. A demonstration showed a cus- tomer frustratingly taking seconds to pay by swipeable Magnet Stripe, as com- pared to the seconds of incredible ease via the iPhone 6. Later Mr. Cook also showed that payments could also be made via the Apple Watch - again in blind- ingly fast seconds.
What was striking was that Apple portrayed this announcement as a world’s first, as though Apple had suddenly invented NFC payments, which of course it hasn’t. It was a slick presentation nonetheless and Apple did stress that this was not the first time that this had been attempted, quoting Jenna Wortham of the New York Times, who recently said: “A truly mobile wallet has long been described as imminent. but it remains elusive... most have been a disappoint- ment or have not yet worked well enough for mainstream adoption.”
Mainstream adoption is going to take years to come to fruition, but that’s not true for the gaming industry. Single Wallet solutions are available right now from a host of providers supplying not just retail solu- tions, but multi-channel payment acceptance, from mobile, tablet and in-location. And while Apple hopes to create a buzz around its own brand, tying users to their ‘i’ devices, the solutions available to the gaming community also offer branding opportunities, but this time for the oper- ator offering this fast, simple and easy payment solution. Bundle this with loyalty programmes and there’s a massive incentive for players to continue to play online, in-location and via mobile, all within the same branded account.
BUNDLE SINGLE WALLET WITH LOYALTY PROGRAMMES AND THERE’S A MASSIVE PLAYER INCENTIVE...
EDITORIAL
Editor Lewis Pek
lewis@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0) 1942 879 291
News Editor Phil Martin
phil@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)161 236 6669
Associate Editor (MALAGA) Karen Southall
karensouthall@gmail.com
Consultant John Carroll (BILLERBECK)
carroll@carrollconsulting.de
Correspondent James Marrison
jamesmarrison@gmail.com
Contributors Daniel Lindsay David Addison Bepi Mottes Mark Gibson Rasmus Sojmark
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Commercial Director John Slattery Email:
john@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7917 166471
Advertising Executive James Slattery Email:
james@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7917 166471
PRODUCTION
Sub Editor Lisa Nichols
Senior Designer Gareth Irwin
Production Manager Paul Jolleys
Subscriptions Manager Jennifer Pek
Commercial Administrator John Pek
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