In a post on its official blog post, Nokia has placed voice biometric security on the same footing as “visual search/Augmented Reality” and “Contactless Payments” (using near field communications). Quite simply, it means that Nokia, still the number one mobile platform globally, anticipates and understands how mobile phones (both “feature phones” and smartphones) are turning into each individual’s preferred tool for social commerce.

With increased functions comes increased responsibility. As mobile subscribers start to routinely use their cellphones to pay for parking or snacks at the corner store, they will also recognize that their wireless phones are slowly transforming into electronic, communicating wallets. They already house their address books (contact lists) and appointment calendars, but routinely add geo tracking, call tracking and, ultimately, payment history. Such sensitive stuff deserves the heightened protection that a voice biometric-based password can afford.

“Many users are concerned over security and mobile, particularly when it comes to the security of storing sensitive information on their mobile handsets,” says the post’s author. “But there’s one new technology that may help get mobile users to start buying goods with their mobile phone, and that’s voice biometrics.”

This provides a concise summary of why voice biometrics adoption is destined to take off in 2011. It won’t be the only mechanism for buyer authentication, but it is one of the few that validates the identity of the mobile subscriber, rather than stopping at the device or the browser that runs on the device.

Both Opus Research and VoiceVault agree with Nokia’s conclusion. That’s why we’re sponsoring the Mobile Voice Biometrics Challenge to give app developers a chance to show imaginative ways to incorporate voice biometric authentication to everyday mobile interactions and transactions.

Categories: Articles

Tags: Voice biometrics, mobile commerce, mobile speech, Nokia