On the mobile-oriented front, this year has seen a spike in interest in the concept of “online mobile payments”. Some of the major factors that led to the development of such a market are the significant increase of mobile and PC-based social networks, virtual goods and games, the popularity of mobile applications and a considerable number of unbanked customers (i.e. those too young to have credit cards or a bank account but with access to a mobile phone). Another important role was played by Facebook, which has begun allowing third-party developers to sell virtual goods inside the gift shop and to accept Facebook credits as a payment method inside applications.
The long debate over how to monetize digital content has gained new dimensions in the fast-emerging mobile space, with mobile applications seen as a major channel for content delivery to mobile devices. Thus, content owners and corporate entities have started to explore opportunities in the mobile arena by turning to platforms designed to let consumers buy online content such as news stories with the charge billed to their mobile phone rather than other payment methods, such as a credit card. All in all, a busy year for online mobile payments, with companies appearing in the news remarkably often and announcing new activities in this space.
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