Is mobile phone only alternative for banking?

Since first trials of WAP mobile banking from late 1990s, several players has forced banking to mobile phone. There has been a hype around this white wedding paradigma over 15 years. 

Why mobile wedding with mobile phone and online banking has been around? To me reasons are:

• Mobile phone was first portable device, which was easy to carry
• Mobile phone was affordable for consumers. 
• It has required data connection

But if we take a closer look how fast online banking penetration has speard around world vs. mobile banking, there is a clear winner. Still basic online banking rules over mobile banking.

Why is that? Could it be:

• Online banking is easier to use
• With mobile banking consumers always are unaware of hidden data costs
• There are less limitations which devices work with online banking

If banking industry really wants to move to mobile banking, we should rethink what mobile means. But also what payment cards look like.

If we think word mobile, could it be something else than phone. In the early days there were PDAs. Could it be tablet devices or easy to enter devices like electronic key ring devices containing mobile phone data technology, like Meego or Symbian? Or could it be electronic card with data connection and easy to carry in a wallet. Why it has to be always mobile phone and usually smart phone. Also if we think card payment, why it has to be real card. It could be PayTag type sticker, which is planted inside device.

Just curious why mobile banking is only associated to mobile phones. As card industry is also asking is plastic only option, should mobile banking open eyes and see if there are other devices we carry every day and are easily and affordable to change as mobile data device. 

Final thing what we should understand, how current payment terminals can be transformed with less than 5 € investment per terminal to use near field communication. If price tag is higher, merchant is not ready to make any investment. That is still the main reasons why merchant don't want to use near field communication.