Although mobile consumers are warming up to mobile payments at an escalating pace, iPhone owners lead the pack among folks with this burgeoning interest.
A new report published Monday by British research and consulting firm YouGov shows that among mobile device users, “iPhone owners are most open to the prospect of paying with their devices, as well as using their phones for all kinds of mobile banking activities.”
According to Darrell Etherington of Gigaom, adults in the UK generally “displayed little willingness to jump on the mobile payments bandwagon,” unless, of course, the iPhone is involved.
The YouGov survey shows that 21% would pay bills via a mobile device, 25 percent would transfer funds, 36 percent would check bank account balances, 17 percent would provide payment to other people for goods and services, and 13 percent would make so-called contactless payments.
James Richards, director of mobile at Intelligent Environments, which commissioned the survey, says: “As consumers grow to be more comfortable with mobile advancements and purse strings tighten due to harsher economic conditions, it is no surprise that financial management has moved up Britons’ agendas and the number looking to access banking services via a mobile phone is on the rise.”
