Mobile phones have increasingly become tools that consumers use for banking, payments, budgeting, and shopping. Given the rapid pace of developments in the area of mobile finance, the Federal Reserve Board began conducting annual surveys of consumers’ use of mobile financial services in 2011. This 78-page report, “Consumers and Mobile Financial Services” (March, 2015) examines trends in the adoption and use of mobile banking, payments, and shopping behavior and how the emergence of mobile financial services affects consumers’ interaction with financial institutions.
Top Smartphones for the Holidays
Smartphone reviews and top smartphone models available by carrier. If you’re upgrading your smartphone for 2011, here’s a list of the hottest smart phones for the holidays.
Aaccording to research firm Gartner, Android made up 25.5 percent of smartphone sales to end users in the third quarter, up from 3.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. Another theme is the emergence of the tablet as a hot device for the holidays. Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad is currently dominating the market, and is now available at both AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) and Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ). However, Samsung plans to make a big push as well, and will have its Android-powered GalaxyTab available from all four Tier 1 carriers this season. Finally, Microsoft also hopes its Windows Phone 7 platform catches fire amid the crowded market.