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It's kind of like that Kevin Costner movie, "Field of Dreams" - now that both Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) have built a mobile-payments system, they're waiting to see if anybody comes.
EMarketer researchers project U.S. mobile payments to increase from $1.6 billion last year to well over $110 billion in 2018. And Gartner projects global mobile payments to jump from $325 billion this year to more than $500 billion in 2016.
With so much money at stake, it's no wonder Google and Apple are about to engage in a huge global battle over which company's e-wallet platform consumers will choose to make purchases with their smartphones and tablets.
We could wait on the sidelines to see which e-wallet consumers "come" to.
But that's not our style.
Instead, I have identified a "secret" play whose business will be supercharged no matter who wins the mobile-payments war.
Let me show you why...
GOOG Leaps Before Looking
A recent report by the market researchers at comScore shows that mobile commerce is growing twice as a fast as desktop digital shopping.
Mobile commerce is when consumers use their smartphone or tablet to make purchases, whether with a mobile-payments system, an e-commerce system such as PayPal, or a traditional credit card. Both mobile commerce and desktop digital shopping make up the overall e-commerce ecosystem.
In this year's first quarter, according to comScore, e-commerce spending rose 12% from the year-ago period to $56.1 billion. But shopping from smartphones and tablets - mobile commerce - hit $7.3 billion, with an annual growth of 23%, a compound rate that puts the field on pace to double three years from now.
Mobile-payments platforms rely on technology known as near-field communication (NFC). This allows the close-range exchange of data using a specialized form of wireless technology. This system can be used almost anywhere a physical exchange of money now takes place.
Besides retail checkout counters, I think mobile payments and NFC tech will take hold at train stations and ball games, in parking meters and garages, and in taxis.
However, Wallet has failed to live up to Google's high expectations. In quarterly earnings statements, Google doesn't even mention Wallet's sales or use.
Last year, just two years after launching Wallet, Google announced that the executive in charge of the program had left the company to "pursue other opportunities." That's corporate speak for saying his services were no longer needed.
In launching Wallet, Google's leaders made the classic blunder I call the "Field of Dreams Mistake": They built it - and nobody came.
Google failed to nail down the support of a broad base of retailers, banks, and credit card companies before going live with Wallet.
But Apple didn't make the same mistake, as you can see...
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About the Author
Michael A. Robinson is a 36-year Silicon Valley veteran and one of the top tech and biotech financial analysts working today. That's because, as a consultant, senior adviser, and board member for Silicon Valley venture capital firms, Michael enjoys privileged access to pioneering CEOs, scientists, and high-profile players. And he brings this entire world of Silicon Valley "insiders" right to you...
- He was one of five people involved in early meetings for the $160 billion "cloud" computing phenomenon.
- He was there as Lee Iacocca and Roger Smith, the CEOs of Chrysler and GM, led the robotics revolution that saved the U.S. automotive industry.
- As cyber-security was becoming a focus of national security, Michael was with Dave DeWalt, the CEO of McAfee, right before Intel acquired his company for $7.8 billion.
This all means the entire world is constantly seeking Michael's insight.
In addition to being a regular guest and panelist on CNBC and Fox Business, he is also a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and reporter. His first book Overdrawn: The Bailout of American Savings warned people about the coming financial collapse - years before the word "bailout" became a household word.
Silicon Valley defense publications vie for his analysis. He's worked for Defense Media Network and Signal Magazine, as well as The New York Times, American Enterprise, and The Wall Street Journal.
And even with decades of experience, Michael believes there has never been a moment in time quite like this.
Right now, medical breakthroughs that once took years to develop are moving at a record speed. And that means we are going to see highly lucrative biotech investment opportunities come in fast and furious.
To help you navigate the historic opportunity in biotech, Michael launched the Bio-Tech Profit Alliance.
His other publications include: Strategic Tech Investor, The Nova-X Report, Bio-Technology Profit Alliance and Nexus-9 Network.