AnalystXpress

Combining loyalty with ticketing by using apps is not a novel phenomenon for the events/entertainment space, but the opposite can be stated for the transport market. As with any digital system, and for transport, loyalty is a concept that is integrated into a wider ecosystem of information gathering from interaction touchpoints, as well as tailoring offerings according to customer preferences and choices.

Last week, Apple unveiled the AirPods Pro 2. This new hearable represents the first major upgrade to the AirPods Pro range since the AirPods Pro 1 was launched in 2019, and boasts features including improved battery life, new touch controls and location features, and expanded charger compatibility.

Apple has announced that US models of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will use eSIM (embedded SIM) technology, replacing traditional SIM cards in these devices. eSIMs are hardware components that are directly soldered into a compatible device or sensor, instead of a traditional SIM card. eUICC (Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card) software enables eSIM modules to remotely switch between operator profiles; allowing increased flexibility and enhanced network coverage.

While today's metaverse contains humanoid avatars meeting in a multitude of different virtual reality environments, the future metaverse will span across many more use cases and would be driven by the ease of transportation and connection between virtual spaces. Within this environment, NFTs would provide record of ownership and a means of transacting virtual goods and services.

As contact centres have evolved to serve multiple technology channels, contact centres are now migrating from on-premises infrastructures to cloud based. An on-premises contact system is internally managed and maintained, whereby hardware and software have to be handled on-premises. However, migrating to a cloud-based infrastructure will provide significant competitive advantages and faster ROI due to increased flexibility and implementation of services and decrease in in-house maintenance and upkeep.

Smart POS terminals are capable of offering enhanced capabilities that can ease the common burdens faced by retailers, such as inventory and employee management. Whilst mPOS and soft POS solutions are effective payment processors, they lack any additional features by design, instead opting to prioritise convenience and portability. As such, smart POS systems are able to effectively differentiate themselves and establish greater value for fixed POS through these appended features.

Despite the additional revenue that can be generated by accepting BNPL, it is not as widely accepted as credit cards - with many BNPL providers only being accepted at specific partner merchants. As the use of credit cards is well established, the payment method is commonly accepted in most stores, both online and in physical stores. BNPL does not yet have this luxury, as the offering is still relatively nascent, and the appropriate infrastructure is still being developed and implemented.

The growing demand and adoption rates of EVs (electric vehicles) means that battery manufacture levels need to rise considerably in the coming years, which will push manufacturers to find more cost-effective and scalable solutions for battery production.

Not all ecosystem actors are as enthusiastic for the use of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in cross-border payments, mainly due to the volatility of these currencies. As such, one alternative has emerged to offer partial stability in cross-border transfer and payments involving cryptocurrencies, namely, stablecoins.

As a result of hardware implementations being too variable to rely upon hardware-based keys in all situations, white-box cryptography has become one of many elements in the greater mobile payment security model.