Mobile Payments Makers Will Grow by a Billion by 2014, Says Juniper Research

Juniper Research's mobile payments report forecasts nearly half of all mobile phone users worldwide will pay by mobile for digital and physical goods by 2014, representing growth of nearly a billion users compared to 2010.

Mobile segments such as ticketing and payments for physical goods are being spurred by the take-up of apps coupled with the availability of multi-lingual versions of platforms such as eBay.

Mobile payments are now becoming integrated into a wider mobile web shopping experience that includes browsing, coupons and advertising. Mobile Storefronts and Malls

They are seeinghe launch of mobile storefronts and malls, as well as new Smartphone apps and mobile payments services from companies such as eBay, Amazon and Digby, with users appreciate the convenience.

However, the Juniper report does warn that the user experience needs to be enjoyable, easy and consistent: lack of user support and help could threaten the spread of mobile payments.

Report author, Howard Wilcox, said "Our research and interviews showed that location aware technologies will play a key part. Companies like Google and IBM are seeking to exploit the knowledge of where users are located to enable retailers to offer in store shoppers a rich set of capabilities such as personalised special offers. As a result we're forecasting the mobile coupons market to double to exceed $4 billion in 2012."

At a recent mobile industry event, CTIA Wireless 2010, more than 20 percent of the show's attendees were said to come from the retail space, showing that retailers were beginning to latch on to the potential of the mobile channel.

Whilst the mobile advertising and mobile coupons markets will reach similar sizes, Juniper believes that smart posters (which users can tap to obtain product information) will remain a niche sector within the overall market until NFC (Near Field Communications) capable devices are more widely used.