This month’s report focuses on the big announcements that came with the new year, focusing on increased security, new tablets, preparing for the future and innovation in software. To kick off the new year, we added three new players: Panasonic, PayPad, and UBA. We also updated ten new players: Anywhere Commerce, Bluefin’s QuickSwipe, CardFlight, Ezetap, iZettle, Ingenico, PayPal, Verifone, Wincor Nixdorf and Wirecard.

Here are the four key takeaways for this month:

1)Security Step-Ups: With many high profile data breaches in 2014, security is at the top of everyone’s mind. One key theme is the relevance of point-to-point encryption (P2PE) in a mPOS world. Even as more mPOS readers are emerging with EMV compatibility in preparation for the October 2015 EMV liability shift, new devices are being released with (P2PE) capabilities to add another layer of security.

2) Tablets Get Rough and Ready: As popular as mPOS is, it’s been reported that many merchants with mPOS don’t always use them. There are complaints that the devices are not rugged or designed for heavy use in retail environments or they have found flaws in the software. These claims haven’t fallen on deaf ears with announcements from major technology players about new, and rugged tablets.

3) Future-Proofing mPOS: What good is a durable piece of hardware if the software that powers it doesn’t accommodate the next generation of payments?

4) Software Innovations: Speaking of software, Flint Mobile has taken a decidedly different approach to mPOS that is all about software. Flint Co-Founder and CEO, Greg Goldfarb, tells PYMNTS.com how and why a software-centric approach enabled Flint to simplify payment acceptance for service-centric businesses by eliminating the hardware and using the camera to securely scan cards.