Tag: mobile applications

Privacy a growing concern in mobile payments field

| April 24, 2013

Mobile Payments privacyPersonal data and how it is collected to cause problems for mobile payments

Data is extremely valuable in the mobile world. There are many kinds of data that can be considered valuable, from sales figures to marketing engagement, but the most important data in the mobile space is a consumer’s personal information. Typically, this information is considered private in the physical world, but is available in abundance online. Mobile payments, marketing, games, and a vast multitude of other mobile-centric activities collect this personal information for one purpose or another. Privacy is quickly becoming one of the most significant issues facing mobile consumers today.

Survey highlights consumer attitude concerning privacy

MEF, a global trade association, has released a new report entitled “Global Privacy Survey 2013.” The report highlights the attitude that consumers have regarding privacy and how their personal information may be being used in the mobile space. Data has helped the mobile world becomes more defined, providing developers with ways to create new, more intuitive mobile applications. Usually, these applications can either be purchased or attained for free, but a growing number of applications, especially those involving mobile payments, are beginning to exchange services for the acquisition of personal information.

Most consumers want to know how their data is being used

According to the survey, only 37% of consumers feel comfortable with sharing personal data with a mobile application. The majority of consumers consider knowing what kind of information an application is collecting to be important and 71% of consumers want to know how their information is being used. It is common for personal information to be sold to advertisers so that more targeted marketing campaigns can be fashioned. Mobile applications are not expressly required to inform consumers that their personal data is being collected in many countries around the world.

Mobile payments may not thrive if privacy is not addressed

Privacy is a major concern where mobile payments are concerned. Mobile commerce involves the trafficking of a consumer’s financial information, which, if stolen, can be exploited and cause significant monetary damage to a consumer. Mobile payments are becoming very popular among consumers, but if mobile commerce applications cannot become more secure, they may not have a future with consumers.

Mobile games reach new heights in China

| April 15, 2013

China mobile gamesChina Mobile sees major progress in mobile games

Mobile games continue to generate a great deal f attention in China. This week, China Mobile, one of the country’s largest  telecommunications companies, announced that 25% of the applications downloaded from its Mobile Market app store were games. Moreover, these mobile games account for the vast majority of the revenue generated from all of the applications found on the company’s Mobile Market. This makes the mobile games sector the most lucrative sector in the mobile space, at least in China.

Majority of revenue in app market comes from games

According to China Mobile, mobile games represent 87.5% of total revenue earned by the Mobile Market. These games are rampantly popular among Chinese consumers, many of whom use them for entertainment purposes or, quite simply, to pass the time. China Mobile notes that the number of people willing to pay for mobile games is significantly higher than those willing to pay for games on other platforms. Up to 30% of mobile consumers, for instance, have paid or are willing to pay for mobile games of some kind, whereas 1-2% of consumers are willing to pay for PC games.

In-app purchases are becoming more common

China Mobile also notes that consumers are willing to have the fees tied to their mobile games included in their regular phone bill, with approximately 70% of mobile gamers favoring this practice. In-app purchases have also become the stable of the mobile games sector in China, with 90% of all games in the Mobile Market offering some form of in-app purchase. China Mobile expects that in-app purchases will eventually replace the pay-to-download model that has long dominated the applications market, leading most, if not all, mobile games to be free.

China sees economic growth in games

Mobile games have become a strong force in the Chinese economy. For several years, China’s game industry has been somewhat isolated, largely restricted to the borders of its native country. Despite this, the industry has become very affluent in the economy by providing consumers with countless hours of entertainment.