Again, Mobile Commerce: Trend, Event or Threat?

After seeing growth users of e-Commerce in Asia, now turn a question about mobile commerce in general. While m-commerce vendors remain upbeat that phenomenal growth for the sector is just around the corner (since a while ago), industry analysts caution that corner may be a little farther down the road. Many research and studies over last several years predicted a booming market for m-commerce, but now? My personal comment, however, look for slower-than-expected m-commerce growth. Common issues, such as lack of unified processes and security standards are two factors delaying m-commerce implementation, in mostly everywhere. User apathy toward wireless data services is another.

Anyway reviewing again what is the technology, much like the concept of e-commerce, a type of business conducted 100% electronically through computer networks; m-commerce is a concept of buying and selling goods and services via wireless networks with a mobile device. Mobile payment is a key component of m-commerce and it has several different models, such as premium SMS, WAP based portals, and embedded devices/smart clients.

What I have seen in past experiences, major limitations of m-commerce, as viewed today, are small screens on wireless devices, limited processing power, modest memory, restricted power consumption, poor voice quality, low-speed data transmission, non-ubiquitous coverage, unproven security, scarce bandwidth, and possible health hazards. In light of the fact that m-commerce is just at its inception,the real potential has yet to be visualized, let alone tapped.

Again, nothing that the highly-personalized, context-aware, location sensitive, time-critical applications are the most promising applications in m-commerce, there are many m-commerce applications envisaged to become very widely popular in the world.

In development of next generation of network, like 4G technology with more security, higher speeds, higher capacity, lower costs, and more intelligent infrastructures and devices will help realize m-commerce applications. With improved wireless security and privacy through data encryption and user education, on the one hand, and with the wide deployment of 4G technology, on the other hand, it isanticipated that m-commerce will, inescapably, become themost dominant method of conducting business transactions.

Next question: How to make this moving faster?