At MasterCard’s recent media and analyst day in New York City, much attention was given to the developing technologies in mobile payments. In particular, MasterCard focused on NFC and the highly anticipated Google Wallet. Within a few weeks, Google Wallet will be released commercially, and any consumer with a Samsung Nexus S phone on the Sprint network will be able to use the eWallet at any of the 150,000 locations in the United States with a PayPass-enabled payment terminal. Additionally, MasterCard placed emphasis on the development of their QkR platform, a technology that allows apps to integrate with image, motion, audio, and touch-based signals.
“This allows for a different type of viral marketing, where people using this technology and sharing information with friends can get additional rebates,” said Garry Lyons, chief innovation officer at MasterCard.
One example of a use for the QkR platform was the ability to take a picture of a coupon and share it on Facebook for others to use. Another example was a mobile phone picking up audio cues from a TV commercial, and then automatically downloading coupons related to the product being advertised in the commercial. The QkR platform technology is currently being tested in a pilot with more than 100 users.
