When feeling frustration over the slow progress of educational technology, it's sometimes good to remember and notice that some changes seem to happen overnight.
A good example of this is the self-serve gas station. Even after conversion from the “service station” most gas outlets required everyone to come in to the office during hours of operation to pay, no matter the form of payment. Think about the first time you used a gas pump that allowed you to slide my card for payment. The freedom this provided, both in terms of time and ease of use, was wonderful. I remember that I saw this wonderful innovation first in one station, and within what seemed like weeks, the entire industry. Clearly a good idea that provides convenience for the user and savings to the company can cause immediate change.
I saw something last night that suggested to me that we might be on the verge of another such cultural shift.
For the past several months I have been using my iPhone to pay for coffee at Starbucks. The iPhone app stores the balance of my Starbucks cards and allows me to pay by holding my screen up to a scanner like the one shown in the picture. I love the convenience of this. I don't needs to carry a card (or multiple cards…any time I get a gift card I simply enter it to my account), or wonder if there is anything left on my card; I don't need to take out my wallet; and I always get gold card credit on all purchases toward free coffee. I have it set up tied to my credit card so whenever my balance dips below $10, $25 is automatically added to my balance. With one exception of a Starbucks in a hotel (and thus not a true Starbucks), it has always worked, and it has changed this small part of my experience.
Last night I was at Baskin Robbins for ice cream. While paying I noticed the same type of scanner beside the cash register, and my wheels started turning.
How long before we will be able to use our phones for all of our payments?
Will this be a slow evolution, or as I suspect will it happen overnight?
If this becomes the dominant payment method, how will we enfranchise those without our digital tools?
How long before paper money is practically, if not comletely, a remnant of the past?
As always, I welcome your comments.
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In my world (which isn’t all that, ummm, advanced) paper checks and cash are already obsolete.