The NFC Spring?
Dear members and friends of the Alliance,
Maybe it is a side effect of the mild winter we just went through but everything seems to be blooming a bit prematurely this spring. When the snow melts early and the spring flowers and trees start to bloom well before they should, people start thinking optimistically that everything is great and it is going to stay that way. Invariably, we all become disappointed when normalcy returns, because we’re left a bit disillusioned as things are still in flux.
I think that is the feeling I am getting about the “early blooming” of NFC mobile payments. Just last month I wrote and said that while I remain enthusiastic about the new payments tools we have, I also felt a sense of foreboding. While I put the Magic 8 ball away for good when my kids graduated high school, I still can’t shake my thought that the early spring of NFC mobile payments may be a case of our expectations blooming too early, leading some to feel disappointed.
Last month I put a call out for caution – to try and focus on what’s accurate, and real, and feasible. I feel that just as strongly now. Let things unfold as they are meant to, and try and do our best to uncomplicate, educate, and think about the overall picture, which is this: the benefits, the gains and the knowledge that we are in the middle of what truly is a revolutionary time in the payments market.
As with any success story, it takes a lot of people and moving pieces to realize that success. One of the great things about the Smart Card Alliance is our ability to be in the forefront while also playing pitcher, catcher, moderator, or simply serving as a valuable, low-key utility player. I hope to see you at next month’s NFC Solutions Summit. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me if you have questions, or simply want to talk about all the great things happening in our industry. As always, thank you for your support of the Alliance.
Sincerely,
Randy Vanderhoof
Executive Director, Smart Card Alliance
View the April Edition of Smart Card Talk.
In This Issue:
- Executive Director Letter
The NFC Spring? - Latin America Letter
CSCIP – Latin America - Member Profile
Giesecke & Devrient - Feature Article
Near Field Communication and Transit - From the Alliance Office
- Council Reports
- Members in the News
- Events Calendar