Overall, one thing is clear: mobile platforms are set to change the way we buy, transact and consume in our local environment. Local commerce is a massive carrot for growth, a $1 trillion opportunity in the US alone. And somewhat ironically, it may end up being Apple’s “closed platform” which helps unify how online to offline commerce evolves, while fragmentation within Android actually slows adoption of these technologies down.

I am fascinated by this technology. I never liked NFC. I used it in the gaming industry to track bets on table games. The chips were imbedded in the table chip and the antennas were placed under the layout. It was so fickle. Granted, it was new technology, but there were so many little nuances. For instance, you couldn't have any metal anywhere around, or it could ruin the results. The antenna had to be placed "just right" under the felt.

That's what I felt when NFC was touted as the payment mechanism of the future. Anything you have to be so close to and there are many ways to interfere, that is not the future. I can send a picture to my friend across the table, why do I need to touch my phone to theirs? Same with payments. If I have to take something out of my pocket or purse, how is that better than what we have today?