September 2, 2004
Phones jingling at checkout counters
A month has passed since Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo launched a service allowing consumers to use their phones as a mobile wallet, reports RFID News.
The “I-mode FeliCa Service” launched when NTT DoCoMo introduced their “wallet phones” (a handset with an embedded transponder) to the market on July 10, 2004.
Early adopters are making the devices' characteristic “jingling” at the checkout counters of convenience stores across Japan. While the service seems destined to introduce a new level of convenience to consumers' shopping experiences, some privacy and security issues remain unresolved.
"Eleven companies now provide wallet-phone services with an additional twenty-eight launching in the near future. But because of a limited number of deployed systems, end-users today may spend more time looking for terminals than the time saved by wireless payment. "
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