The mobile payment platform ISIS has decided to change its name to dissociate itself from the Islamic Militant group ISIS. Isis mobile wallet arose from a joined force of a group of telecommunications and commerce businesses towards the end of 2010.
In a blog post, CEO Michael Abbott explained: “However coincidental, we have no interest in sharing a name with a group whose name has become synonymous with violence and our hearts go out to those who are suffering. “We wanted a name that brought life to our company and our values,” Isis chief executive Michael Abbott said on Monday in an online message about the decision to dump the name inspired by an Egyptian goddess.
As a company, we have made the decision to rebrand.” Abbott didn’t announce what the new brand would be — we imagine that he’s working on that as we speak — but mentioned that he’d have more information to share in the coming months.
Isis Mobile is one of a handful of digital wallet services, including those from Google Wallet and PayPal, that use a consumer’s mobile device instead of cash or a credit card to make payments. The Isis Mobile initiative is jointly run by Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
The name change is an unfortunate setback for Isis Mobile, which spent years lining up partners, building a platform, and working on trials before launching in November, 2010.
