Contact-less payments using your mobile. And SMS?
The history of M-Pesa
For the past few years a regular next-big-thing has been the contactless and smartphone-based payments. The goal being supposed ease of payment and reducing the steps required. In Ireland we now have the card-based transaction system in place for over a year with a maximum payment fee of €15 (and no bank charges on any payments by this method until 2015). But ancedotally, my impression is most people aren't even aware of the system, let alone a willingness to try it out.
Of course you don't always need a smartphone for such easy transactions and money transfers. in Africa, they have had access to an SMS-based system for seven years and this system has started to be introduced in Europe. It's owner? Vodafone......