Over the past couple of years, digital and mobile banking has revolutionized the way consumers spend, save and manage their finances. In 2020 and onward, the trend is expected to accelerate.
The global digital payments market is projected to reach US$132.5 billion by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.6% over the next six years, according to a report by Grand View Research. Meanwhile, the global mobile banking market is set to reach US$1.824 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 12.2% from 2019 to 2026, according to Allied Market Research.
With mobile being increasing important in the financial and banking landscape, we look today at six smartphones for fintech geeks which promise great performance and connectivity, while featuring key features to enjoy the mobile banking and mobile payments experience to its fullest.
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Released in August 2019, the Galaxy Note10+ is the latest in Samsung’s line of premium smartphones that combines elegant design with powerful performance and productivity tools.
The Galaxy Note10+ was designed to provide a mobile experience that’s like a computer, a gaming console, and a professional camera, all in one device. It features a cinema-quality display, a power algorithm that learns from how users’ work and live to optimize power, massive storage, as well as a full set of pro lenses.
Like most recent Samsung smartphones, the device comes with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which allows users to make secure transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.
NFC is the technology in contactless cards. The most common use of NFC technology in Samsung’s smartphones is making seamless payments with Samsung Pay, the company’s mobile payments platform.
iPhone 11
Apple iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 is the thirteenth generation iPhone, succeeding the iPhone XR. It was unveiled on September 10, 2019, alongside the higher-end iPhone 11 Pro flagship.
The prominent changes compared with the iPhone XR are the Apple A13 Bionic chip, and an ultra-wide dual camera system. The device is water resistant up to 2 meters for up to 30 minutes, and is shipped with iOS 13, which includes Siri, Face ID (through the TrueDepth camera) and Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payments platform. The iPhone 11 also supports Apple Card, a credit card primarily to be used with Apple Pay.
Pre-owned and refurbished iPhone 11 devices are available on Amazon for a fraction of the cost. These pre-owned products are not Apple certified but have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers. They are backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee, making them eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if the product does not work as expected.
Huawei P30 Pro
Huawei P30 Pro
The Huawei P30 Pro is the Chinese manufacturer’s current flagship smartphone. The device features a triple-camera setup that offers a plethora of improvements over previous Huawei high-end devices, including staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, a digital 50x zoom, as well as and top-notch low-light capabilities.
In addition to great photography features, the Huawei P30 Pro has a large 6.47-inch screen with full HD+ resolution, excellent battery life, a gorgeous curved screen, flagship Kirin 980 processor, IP68 water and dust resistance, reverse wireless charging, a faster in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC technology for mobile payments, and more.
OnePlus 7T
OnePlus 7T
The OnePlus 7T is an Android-based smartphone manufactured by OnePlus and unveiled on September 26, 2019. The OnePlus 7T has minor upgrades as with previous T phones, such as new software, upgraded cameras and a faster chipset.
The device delivers a next-level viewing experience, thanks to its smooth 90Hz display, and features a lightning-fast processor, the latest in fast charging technology, a versatile triple camera which offers a fast and smooth performance without compromise, as well as NFC technology.
The OnePlus 7T has been said to be the best mainline OnePlus phone to date for a more reasonable price-tag of under US$600.
HTC Exodus 1
HTC Exodus 1
The HTC Exodus 1 is a cryptophone which combines the usability of the smartphone and the security of a hardware wallet. The device comes with Zion, a wallet with an easy-to-use software integrated with on-board hardware security which allows users to easily buy, receive, store crypto assets all on the phone, without the risk of hacking and other forms of malware.
The Zion Vault uses the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to protect users’ private keys and sensitive data. When signing transactions, the TEE activates and temporarily isolates the operating system so that all your data is always safe.
The device also has a unique Social Key Recovery mechanism which allows users’ trusted contacts to help them recover their vault.
Sirin Labs Finney
Sirin Labs Finney
Sirin Labs’ Finney phone claims to be a state-of-the-art, ultra-secured blockchain smartphone.
Powered by Sirin OS, the device comes with several features and apps including the Finney Wallet by Sirin Labs, the dCenter app store by Sirin Labs, Cyber Security Center, Finney App Locker, Finney camera application, ProtonMail, Koolspan Trust Call, Cointelegraph, Android standard apps as well as Google apps.
The Finney also has the Sirin OS Cyber Security Centre installed, which monitors the device for threats and other security issues in real-time.
