Brilliant people have been involved in mobile payments innovation, creating enticing options for both consumers and merchants. Various technologies are in play: NFC, MST, HCE, EMV, QR codes, and more. And a number of payment enterprises, retailers and telcos have tried their hand at mobile wallet development ‒ some enjoying success, others not so much.
Right now, however, mobile technology implementation is a bit of a muddle for merchants. Consumers aren't yet demanding mobile payments in great numbers. It's also not clear which technologies will last long-term and provide the best experience for consumers. This issue's lead article looks at the state of mobile in-store and explores why mobile technology is poised to wean great numbers of merchants and consumers off of traditional card and cash payments, and turn them into mobile payment enthusiasts.
Don't expect cash to go anywhere soon, however, and do expect virtual cards to gain traction in the healthcare realm, as explained by expert writers featured in our Views section. For more insights from contributing writers, see the Education section. There you'll find two distinct, yet complementary, articles on what to look for in an ISO partner; details on what payfacs are and why they've grown in popularity; perspectives on how much ownership of the POS systems sales process MLSs rebranding as technology experts should take; and why it makes sense to not just accept change, but to embrace and facilitate it.
Are you curious about how Square and PayPal are faring? If so, you'll find herein reports on each company's second quarter 2016 earnings. Other features highlight some of the companies recognized by the Inc. 500/5000 this year; delve into why more people now expect mobile wallets will eventually replace other forms of payment; and describe some hot new products available to ISOs and MLSs.
In the news, we've covered the debut of CVS Pay, the newest entrant in the retailer mobile wallet realm; the integration of Walgreens Balance Rewards into Apple Pay and Android Pay; the disturbing intrusion into Oracle's Micros POS systems; and the effort by leading banks in Australia to collectively bargain with Apple over Apple Pay.
By the time you read this, Labor Day will have come and gone. What will you focus on this autumn? How will your merchants fare this holiday season? Email us at greensheet@greensheet.com, and we continue to welcome press releases at press@greensheet.com. 
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