PayPal aims at HTML5 and consoles
PayPal is working fast on extending its payments platform to every internet-connected device, aided primarily by HTML5.
Wherever you want to go, PayPal will be there, according to Carey Kolaja, senior director of emerging opportunities at PayPal, while speaking at eBay's Innovate Developer Conference 2011 on Thursday.
While that sounds slightly creepy out of context, the point is that PayPal is planning to bring its payments platform to literally every internet-connected device you own.
One motive is that an estimated 50 billion devices are coming online in the next 10 years, which means more opportunities for digital goods. PayPal is on track to process US$4.7 billion in digital goods transactions for 2011 — US$1 billion more than last year.
"Traditional payment models don't work," Kolaja said. "In digital goods, pricing and convenience are critical."
One plan of action is that PayPal will be taking advantage of eBay's recent purchase of Zong, which focuses on "frictionless" mobile payments that will go directly to mobile carrier billing statements.
Kolaja posited that this will provide a single point of integration, creating the "most comprehensive solution" for digital goods.
Next, starting this holiday season, PayPal is going to be integrated on the Xbox console.
Additionally — and most importantly — PayPal has recognised the demand for HTML5-based apps with a PayPal for HTML5 tool kit that will be rolling out so that developers can integrate payment options for basically any mobile device, redefining what we might be thinking about when we debate about the definition of "mobile" in mobile payments.
To sum up, that means that PayPal has extended its reach beyond the computer browser to mobile devices and gaming consoles, really achieving PayPal's goal of being able to enable users to make payments anywhere, anytime.
Within those devices, PayPal has numerous partners, which include Facebook, Zynga, The New York Times and Netflix, among many other multimedia providers. Spotify was singled out as a long-time partner, even when the music subscription service was only available in Europe but now also in the United States, as PayPal can be used to pay for Spotify's premium plans.
Based on today's announcements, PayPal definitely has something in common with most of its partners: the determination to be present — in a strong way — on every internet-connected, consumer device.
Via ZDNet US