This year at MWC consumer trust and privacy have taken up position as a central theme. There’s also been plenty of announcements at the device level on how consumers can protect themselves with more sophisticated biometric authentication technology. ZTE, Fujitsu and EyeVerify all announced eye scanning technology and Qualcomm putting forward its own 3D unltrasonic finger print scanning tech as a credible alternative.
Elsewhere there’s more evidence that the automotive sector is increasingly embracing mobile as the latest poster-boy of the ecosystem. Visa announced that it has joined forces with Pizza Hut and Accenture to develop a connected car that would support online purchases on-the-go. With Visa Checkout installed in the car’s dashboard in tandem with an in-car menu drivers will be able to order a stuffed crust pepperoni on the way home from work. BLE beacons let staff know when the driver has arrived to fulfill the order.
Below is a round-up of these and other stories that caught or attention from the MWC floor.
Global News Stories
MasterCard and eTranzact Make it Easier for Millions of Nigerians to Receive Remittances
Talk Media Nigeria
At Mobile World Congress, MasterCard today announced an agreement witheTranzact International plc, a leading pan-African mobile banking and payment services company, to make international remittance services available to millions of consumers in Nigeria.
Under the agreement, citizens will be able to securely receive international remittances into their eTranzact mobile money wallets or select bank accounts through the international transfer hub, HomeSend. A joint venture between MasterCard, eServGlobal and BICS, HomeSend bridges the gap between various entities globally such as financial institutions, non-financial entities and mobile network operators, enabling Nigerians living and working abroad to send money from mobile money accounts, payment cards, bank accounts or cash outlets back home.
Bye-bye passwords, hello to biometric authentication in a blink
Information Week
If you are eager to see the end of passwords, then you might be pleased by biometric solutions being touted as enhancing privacy and security. New authentication solutions being shown off at World Mobile Congress 2015 include a Fujitsu prototype smartphone that uses iris recognition, an eyeprint scanner built into the new ZTE Grand S3 and Qualcomm’s ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
Telenor’s Tech Trends at MWC – Mobile Internet Will Break Into Global Mass Markets This Year
PCC
Telenor presented its tech trends at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2015, sharing insights and views on the global state of connectivity, technology and the quickly closing gaps between the developed and emerging worlds. Telenor highlighted how the continuous evolution of devices from feature phones to smartphones are fueling the growth of internet-powered services in every part of the world. Telenor whose business presence covers a large part of Asia and Eastern Europe apart from its base in Scandinavia, has been unveiling a number of initiatives that enable masses in the emerging markets to have internet access on mobile devices, via sponsored data, and via solutions such as Opera Web Pass. With more affordable internet connected devices, Telenor expects the year 2015 to onboard a lot more people onto the mobile Internet culture.
Africa Remains the World’s Mobile Money King
Ventures Africa
The GSM Association (GSMA) announced at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that the number of active Mobile Money accounts globally now exceeds 100 million and sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than half (53 percent) of these.
“2014 saw a steep increase in the number of international remittances via mobile money, primarily driven by the introduction of a new model using mobile money as both the sending and receiving channel,” according to the GSMA’s 2014 Mobile Financial Services for the Unbanked report.
Mark Zuckerberg reveals his one rule for hiring at Facebook
Telegraph
As the founder of one of the most successful companies on the planet, when Mark Zuckerberg gives job advice it’s a good idea to listen.
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, the 30-year-old Facebook CEO revealed what he looks for in a prospective employee. And the answer is simple.
“I will only hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person,” Mr Zuckerberg told the audience.
“It’s a pretty good test and I think this rule has served me well.”
Pizza Hut, Accenture And Visa’s Concept Car Lets You Order Pizza Using Its Dashboard
Tech Times
Our prayers have been answered.
At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, Pizza Hut, in collabration with Visa and Dublin-based tech consulting company Accenture, announced a whole new way to order pepperoni pies: using your car’s center dash.
While on the commute home from work or while you’re trapped in traffic, you will be able to order sausage and veggies with extra cheese (or whatever you prefer), wings, bread sticks and any other items from Pizza Hut, then use a version of Visa’s Checkout system integrated into the car’s dashboard to pay the tab.
MWC News Round-up – These articles are not written by MEF and do not represent any views of individuals, members or the organisation.
