First Complete E-Wallet Comes to the iPhone

What’s the Latest Development?

A novel mixture of hardware and software has brought the most complete and secure e-wallet yet to the iPhone, allowing users to leave their cash and cards at home. Called Geode, the system is based on a special iPhone case which contains an e-ink screen and universal credit/debit card. Users can imprint all the financial information of their various credit and debit cards on the universal card which, kept in the phone cover, can be taken out and used anywhere. The e-ink screen stores the bar codes of customer loyalty programs and the entire system is protected by fingerprint identification technology. 

What’s the Big Idea?

While the maker of the Geode, iCache, emphasizes the security features of its e-wallet system, worries about financial fraud may rank comparatively low on the list of obstacles preventing the adoption of complete e-money systems. Our normal credit and debit cards are not protected by fingerprint technology, yet we seem content with the security currently offered. And how willing will people be to hand over their phones to grocery store checkout clerks? The Geode does seem to overcome the need for near field communication, however, which requires a sorely lacking infrastructure to make contact-free transactions using smartphones.

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