New Zealanders are being rewarded with experiences such as flights, helicopter rides and VIP event access whenever they are close to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons installed in 120 Heineken locations across the country via the beer maker’s Heineken Live mobile app. More
New York
Walmart Pay adds another 14 states
US supermarket chain Walmart has rolled out its Walmart Pay mobile payment service to stores in another 14 US states, including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho and New Mexico as well as states across New England and the Pacific North West... More
Starwood expands keyless entry to hotels worldwide
The Bluetooth-based mobile keyless entry solution unveiled by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in November 2014 has been extended to select Le Méridien, Westin, Sheraton and Four Points hotels, with “many additional properties” expected to go live with SPG Keyless over the coming months... More
Walmart sues Visa over chip card payments
US supermarket giant Walmart has filed a lawsuit against Visa for “allegedly forcing the retailer to let customers use signatures when paying with their chip-based debit cards,” according to CNBC... More
Citibank customers in New York get ATM access via BLE beacons
Customers at Citibank’s smart banking branches in Manhattan, New York have been gaining cardless after-hours entry to ATM lobbies using their iPhone or Apple watch and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons installed by Gimbal... More
Pin4 rolls out mobile ATM withdrawals in the US
Consumers in New York, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles can now make P2P cash withdrawals using a PIN code sent to their mobile phone at ATMs equipped with technology from Pin4 and ATM network operator Payment Alliance International... More
Broadway theatres deploy BLE beacons
Theatregoers on New York’s Broadway can now get information about the show they are seeing and receive offers from local restaurants, bars and other venues via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons and the Playbill Passport app. The app has been developed by technology company Broadway Voice and Playbill magazine while the beacons have been supplied by Gimbal and are used in conjunction with Urban Airship’s mobile marketing platform... More
Estimote raises US$10.7m
Beacon manufacturer Estimote has raised US$10.7m in a Series A investment round led by Javelin Venture Partners... More
New York subway to get NFC payments by 2018
New Yorkers will soon be able to pay for travel on the subway using an NFC device or contactless card following governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature proposal to redesign and renew 30 stations across the system. The plans also include introducing mobile ticketing systems that will let commuters purchase tickets on their mobile device. More
Square rolls out first contactless readers
Mobile POS provider Square is rolling out the first of its $49 contactless readers to 100 US businesses, allowing them to accept chip cards, contactless and NFC payments including Apple Pay... More
Microsoft adds Windows Hello to new devices
Microsoft has added its Windows Hello biometric authentication solution to its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL devices, launched at a press event in New York this week... More
Samsung Pay gets seven city US promo tour
Samsung is to run a seven city tour to promote the launch of Samsung Pay in the US... More
Velocity acquires mobile payments app Cover
Restaurant payment app Velocity has acquired mobile payments solution Cover for an undisclosed sum... More
PaidEasy raises $2m in seed funding
Mobile payment startup PaidEasy has announced a seed round of funding valued at US$2m... More
Target tests Bluetooth beacons in 50 US stores
US retail giant Target has begun testing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons in 50 stores nationwide to send deals and recommendations on nearby products directly to a shopper’s smartphone running the retailer’s iOS mobile app... More
Facebook expands free Bluetooth beacon program
Facebook is offering free Bluetooth beacons to select businesses across the US that will enable them to send “useful and relevant” information to customers about the places they visit... More
Facebook rolls out Messenger payments to New York
Facebook is to roll out its mobile payments service to New York City and surrounding metro areas and will add additional functionality to make it “easier to send and receive money”, an email sent out by the social network and seen by VentureBeat reveals... More
Starbucks opens express store with mobile POS ordering
Visitors to Starbucks’ newly opened express store on Wall Street in New York are being met by one of the coffee chain’s employees upon entry, who then takes their order using a handheld device... More
Apple demonstrates smartwatch keys and payments
How Apple Watch owners will be able to use their device to make payments, unlock hotel rooms and the garage doors at their home has been demonstrated by Kevin Lynch, Apple’s VP of Technology, at the company’s Spring Forward launch event... More
NJ Transit expands mobile ticketing app
NJ Transit has expanded availability of its MyTix mobile ticketing app to interstate routes between New Jersey and New York City after launching in South Jersey last year... More