Despite the popularity of smartphones and other mobile devices, few people use mobile payments when they shop at brick-and-mortar stores. Instead, they still use cash or credit cards. While this trend may last for a while, people will soon start to rely on mobile payments. The following four reasons explain why mobile payments are the future.
A lot of people worry that mobile payments will expose them to security risks. Hackers steal sensitive information from individuals and businesses daily, so it makes sense to have some concerns.
In reality, mobile payments offer more security than credit cards. When you use a credit card, your account number gets transmitted from the payment terminal to your bank. If hackers intercept the data, they could potentially clone your card or steal your identity.
Smartphone payments take a more sophisticated approach. Instead of sending the same account number for every transaction, they generate unique codes. The code makes it possible for your bank or payment service to send money to the retail store, but the numbers only work one time. Even if a hacker intercepted the information, he or she couldn't do much with it.
It only takes a little misdirection for someone to steal your wallet. Once a thief has your wallet, he or she can potentially add thousands of dollars to your credit card account. Even if you notice that your card is missing, it doesn't take long for a thief to spend a few thousand dollars on clothes, jewelry, or electronics, for example. By the time you contact your credit card company and freeze the account, you could face high charges. Most credit card companies will work with you to eliminate fraudulent charges, but it still creates a lot of anxiety and worry.
Thieves who steal smartphones, however, don't have such easy access to your payment information. They would have to discover your passcode just to look at anything inside your phone. Few thieves have the skills required to do that. As long as you take the proper security measures, it's very difficult for someone to buy items with a stolen smartphone.
There are a lot of retail stores that don't have the right types of terminals to accept mobile payments. This situation is changing quickly, though. When the government started requiring credit card companies to start using chip cards, many retail stores updated their payment systems to offer their customers better security.
By updating to newer payment terminals, companies have steadily increased the number of payment options. Now that more stores have point-of-sale devices with near-field communication (NFC) technology, you can pay for items with your smartphone. You will, however, need an NFC-enabled smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which can use both Samsung Pay and Android Pay. As long as you and the retailer use the latest technologies, you can pay for your purchases by tapping your smartphone to the payment terminal.
The number of payment apps available for smartphones has also grown quickly over the last few years. Popular options include:
Each of these payment apps offers a slightly unique approach to making payments and protecting your private information. You're not forced to use an app that you don't like. Instead, you can review several to decide which one works best for you. Having all of these choices means that more people will start using mobile payments. If you don't adopt the technology soon, you'll be the only person you know still using credit cards. Eventually, you'll start to look like that annoying person writing a check at the grocery store.
If you want increased security and convenience, then you should take another look at mobile payments. Credit cards are more popular right now, but that will change. You'd might as well get ahead of the trend by finding a mobile payment option that works for you.
Mobile Devices Are More Secure Than Credit Cards
A lot of people worry that mobile payments will expose them to security risks. Hackers steal sensitive information from individuals and businesses daily, so it makes sense to have some concerns.
In reality, mobile payments offer more security than credit cards. When you use a credit card, your account number gets transmitted from the payment terminal to your bank. If hackers intercept the data, they could potentially clone your card or steal your identity.
Smartphone payments take a more sophisticated approach. Instead of sending the same account number for every transaction, they generate unique codes. The code makes it possible for your bank or payment service to send money to the retail store, but the numbers only work one time. Even if a hacker intercepted the information, he or she couldn't do much with it.
Thieves Will Have a Hard Time Using Mobile Payments
It only takes a little misdirection for someone to steal your wallet. Once a thief has your wallet, he or she can potentially add thousands of dollars to your credit card account. Even if you notice that your card is missing, it doesn't take long for a thief to spend a few thousand dollars on clothes, jewelry, or electronics, for example. By the time you contact your credit card company and freeze the account, you could face high charges. Most credit card companies will work with you to eliminate fraudulent charges, but it still creates a lot of anxiety and worry.
Thieves who steal smartphones, however, don't have such easy access to your payment information. They would have to discover your passcode just to look at anything inside your phone. Few thieves have the skills required to do that. As long as you take the proper security measures, it's very difficult for someone to buy items with a stolen smartphone.
NFC Payment Terminals Are Becoming More Popular
There are a lot of retail stores that don't have the right types of terminals to accept mobile payments. This situation is changing quickly, though. When the government started requiring credit card companies to start using chip cards, many retail stores updated their payment systems to offer their customers better security.
By updating to newer payment terminals, companies have steadily increased the number of payment options. Now that more stores have point-of-sale devices with near-field communication (NFC) technology, you can pay for items with your smartphone. You will, however, need an NFC-enabled smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which can use both Samsung Pay and Android Pay. As long as you and the retailer use the latest technologies, you can pay for your purchases by tapping your smartphone to the payment terminal.
You Have More Payment App Options Than Ever
The number of payment apps available for smartphones has also grown quickly over the last few years. Popular options include:
| - Google Wallet - Samsung Pay - Android Pay - Apple Pay - Square Wallet - Venmo - PayPal |
Each of these payment apps offers a slightly unique approach to making payments and protecting your private information. You're not forced to use an app that you don't like. Instead, you can review several to decide which one works best for you. Having all of these choices means that more people will start using mobile payments. If you don't adopt the technology soon, you'll be the only person you know still using credit cards. Eventually, you'll start to look like that annoying person writing a check at the grocery store.
If you want increased security and convenience, then you should take another look at mobile payments. Credit cards are more popular right now, but that will change. You'd might as well get ahead of the trend by finding a mobile payment option that works for you.
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