Quote from: Norway on April 10, 2015, 11:39:32 PM

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Quote from: Fatman3001 on April 10, 2015, 11:13:42 PM

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It's true that Windows and Apple kept controll over desktop solutions all these years (Except for Android (Linux) and chromebox / chromebook).

But I think bitcoin will be the "desktop solution" for money in a few years. For instance, I don't think remittance services hiding bitcoin from sender and receiver is the best solution. It's better to do it like in Thailand. Very easy to convert bitcoin to bath. On every corner with ATMs, Seven Elevens or mini marts. That way, people in receiving countries can choose to keep the bitcoin they receive from relatives abroad, spend them on the local market for vegetables and fish, or exchange to bath on the nearest Seven Eleven. Wink

Sure, but most people don't use remittance services.

One market where bitcoin could take off is payments for digital content. Most parents would not feel comfortable with their childrens GooglePlay account or iTunes account being linked to their credit card. Yet, kids hardly buy toys any more. Toy shops are as rare as record shops nowadays. Kids want tablets and gaming consoles. And they want content for those.
Paypal/Braintree is already opening up bitcoin payments for digital content. Microsoft US allows you to fill up your account with BTC for digital content. Eventually Apple and Google will follow. Soon parents will be able to pay part of the kids allowance in btc, either directly to a service of their choosing, or to a bitcoin wallet where the kids can choose themselves which ecosystem they want to squirt their money into. That might sound like peanuts, but if you do the math that's a substantial market.

Convincing regular adults in rich countries to use BTC rather than VISA/Mastercard is a uphill battle. First of all, it will be quite a while before the price of Bitcoin is such that most people would be comfortable with using it. Second, very few shops charge extra for card use. They can save a lot more by having better flow and fewer employees due to card use. Just think back to the 80s when everyone paid cash. Cashiers even packed your shopping bag while you were fumbling around to find that one coin you knew was in there, so you wouldn't have to break a hundred note. Not to mention that people are a bit sentimental about money. Scandinavian countries can't even convince their people to use the euro.

However, if ApplePay starts accepting BTC I have this feeling that people would love to flash their shiny new golden iPhone every time they paid, and perhaps they would be more comfortable with filling that account with BTC rather than leaving that last bit of their life in apples hands as well.

Ok, tired now. Must go to bed. Guessing you will read this in the morning anyway. Good night!