I had an interesting discussion with Brett King as to what "mobile" payments really are.
Let's look at history, semantics and the core element of any payment (Exec Summary - it's all about authentication).
To be pedantic, the original meaning of the word "pay" is to "hand over money (or goods) in exchange for goods or services".
When cards were introduced, we stopped handing over cash. Hence, CARD payments.
When we use a mobile phone for "payment", if that - somehow - involves a card, that's still a CARD payment. Hence, buying something from iTunes or Amazon is not a mobile payment per se.
If I stick a contactless EMV card to the back of my phone and use it for payment, is that a mobile payment or a card payment? Let me help you there: what if I stick that EMV card onto my shoe?.. Shoe payment?
Payments are about authentication, the rest is pure "accounting". When we pay with cash, we "authenticate" banknotes. When we pay with a card, we use that card for authentication.
Hence, unless a mobile phone itself is NOT used for or forms part of the authentication process, it's not a mobile payment. IMHO. Payments at Amazon and iTunes are made using CARDS. Authentication there is done using passwords or other secret information,
not the phone.
Examples of "true" mobile payments include Pingit and Google Wallet (NFC), where phone's "fingerprint" or phone-based "secure element" are used for authentication (in conjunction with other factors).