nearfieldcommunication
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iPhone 5 rumored not to have NFC
According to sources within the UK's largest wireless operators, Apple will not include NFC (Near Field Communication) technology in the upcoming iPhone 5. NFC is a short-range wireless technology integrated in mobile phones and used for mobile ticketing and payment processing systems. The Cupertino company is reportedly reluctant to introduce NFC because the technology lacks a unifying standard. Rather than adopt the current implementation of this technology, Apple is reportedly working on its own NFC system that would tie into iTunes. Though not confirmed, forms of this new technology have been hinted at in previous patent applications and job listings. This NFC alternative may be introduced with the iPhone 6 in 2012. Google recently launched the Nexus S earlier this year with NFC technology and is working on bringing this technology to the masses. It has launched a small-scale initiative called Hotpot that lets business owners place an NFC-enabled sign in their storefront. This sign can be read by NFC-enabled handsets and provides the user with pertinent store information, such as hours of operation and menu items as well as special deals. If Apple brings its own technology to the market, we may have a modern day version of the beta war. [Via Techradar]
iPhone 5 won't have NFC, say insiders at UK carriers
The Independent is starting our week off on a sour note with the information that Apple's next iPhone won't have NFC hardware built in. Near Field Communication has found itself coming to the fore this year, thanks in large part to the Nexus S touting it as a major feature, however sources at "several" of the UK's major carriers have told the newspaper that Apple intends to skip on it for this year. That intel is reportedly coming directly from meetings with the Cupertino brain trust, which is said to be dissatisfied with the current lack of a clear, universal NFC standard. It's generally been Apple's wont to omit or delay features it doesn't feel it can implement well, and NFC looks fated to be another one on that list.
VeriFone puts money near mouth, says it'll include NFC in all new POS terminals
Well, here's a bold step forward for NFC -- payment solution provider Verifone says its new batch of point-of-sale terminals will come standard with the touch-to-pay wireless technology. That's the word from Near Field Communications World, who quizzed the company just a few days after CEO Douglas Bergeron called on the payments industry to foot the NFC bill, saying "The retail point of sale represents a point of convergence for smartphone-initiated payments, social networking and electronic couponing, but it won't happen if retailers are expected, on faith, to absorb the costs of making it work." Sounds like a company that's very keen on letting us pay by swiping our phone. Unfortunately, he didn't say when such technology might roll out.
Nexus S and Nexus One get Android Gingerbread 2.3.3, fixes random reboots and writes NFC tags
Your Nexus One is a second-class citizen no more: Today, Google's rolling out Android 2.3.3 to both its premier smartphones. The latest build, still referred to as Gingerbread, brings even more NFC goodies than foretold, as the Nexus S will soon be able to write (not just read) rewritable NFC tags as well as act as a glorified NFC tag itself. (You can see both possibilities in the three screenshots above.) What's more, Google tells us Android 2.3.3 will fix the random reboots that have plagued the Nexus S as of late, and offers other random bugfixes as well. You'll find the whole kit and kaboodle streaming to your phones over the air during the next few weeks to come. Update: We're also hearing that integrated Facebook contacts will be treated differently in Android 2.3.3 -- we've reached out to Google for more information. Update 2: Here's the deal with regards to Facebook.
BlackBerry Dakota / Montana spotted in the wild, sporting threads of carbon
So how's our little leaked friend the alleged BlackBerry Bold Touch doing as Canada's winter continues to rage? Looks like he's all wrapped up and toasty in a tasteful carbon fiber weave. N4BB nabbed the first real-life photos of the triple-input-device OS 6.1 smartphone, which confirm its 640 x 480 VGA screen, though the publication says it's also gained storage space (6.5GB flash) and lost memory (512MB of RAM) since the last time we heard its specs. There's apparently still a 5 megapixel camera to be had, as well as a magnetometer, accelerometer and proximity sensor, and -- as the rumor mill whispered in January -- integrated NFC. Still no word on processing power, but it sure sounds like it'll mop the floor with the Torch either way. [Thanks, Mike]
Latest Android Gingerbread release brings NFC and Bluetooth together for tappable sharing
Sending a webpage from an HP Pre 3 to a Touchpad is as easy as tapping them together, a technique we've not previously seen -- but something that's now possible in the latest flavor of Gingerbread: Android 2.3.3. This adds some expanded functionality for working with the NFC chip found in the Nexus S (and, presumably, others soon) enabling, among other things, NFC to work with Bluetooth. As demonstrated a few weeks ago, the NFC chip can be used to send networking and establish a connection when the two phones touch, so no more manual pairing required, just sweet tapping and sharing.
Deutsche Telekom claims Apple will support near-field communication e-wallet
Fun things are afoot at the Mobile World Congress this week in Barcelona, Spain. Today's news comes from Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of cell carrier T-Mobile. The corporation announced that it's rolling out the ability to make payments with a near-field communication (NFC) enabled smartphone starting this year. Throughout 2012, the full payment system will be rolled out in the US through a previously announced joint venture with Apple and Verizon. The system, to be known as T-Mobile's Mobile Wallet, will let users make payments simply by waving an NFC-equipped phone near a payment kiosk. The company believes that mobile payments that replace cash, such as buying a 72-ounce Slurpee at the local Kwik-E-Mart, are going to be the most popular form of transaction, followed by the ability to use the Mobile Wallet to pay for ticket transactions on public or private transportation. Some of the other capabilities of Mobile Wallet include the ability to get customized coupons on your phone and support for loyalty programs, such as supermarket discount cards. Since losing an NFC-equipped phone would be akin to losing a wallet, security features are included to protect against phone theft or loss. There's no word on whether the NFC capability will be built into future iPhones or if a special case will be required. [via Engadget]
Samsung's Wave 578 outted with NFC love, representing the Bada gang
Look, we all know Samsung's Bada platform isn't exactly everyone's first choice when picking a new phone, but if you're eyeing up an NFC-compatible handset within a reasonable budget later this year, then this Wave 578 could be a potential candidate. Packed within the metallic body is a dinky 3.2-inch 432 x 240 LCD screen with multitouch, compensated by a 3.2 megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11 b/g/n WiFi. Alas, there's no HD video support for both playback and recording, but you can at least take this as an indication for a wallet-friendly price point. Expect to see this featurephone on the shelves across Europe, South East Asia, and Middle East starting in May. Press release after the break.
BMW's NFC Key is your ticket to ride, and you should care (video)
Near Field Communication (NFC) is shaping up to be one of the hottest tech trends for 2011 now that payment systems and new handsets (driven by the Gingerbread build of Android and presumably, a near-term iOS release) are making their way into the US and Europe. Add BMW to the growing list of supporters with its NFC key of the future. Bimmer researchers envision linking the key to the car's navigation and entertainment system allowing you to make hotel reservations or purchase train tickets, for example. You could then download the ticket directly from your car to the key which could then be used to board the train. Later, a key linked to your banking information could even be used to settle the hotel bill. BMW believes its approach is more secure than that of an NFC-enabled cellphone because its system is both closed and encrypted. Possibly. But we're still more likely to have our cellphone in a pocket while traveling than the key to a car parked a few hundred miles away. Of course, there's nothing preventing us from tapping the key to our cellphone and transferring the data -- it is still in the R&D phase for the next generation of ConnectedDrive after all. Click through for the video.
LG working on an NFC payment system for Europe, planning launch in 2012
All these upcoming NFC-equipped smartphones wouldn't be worth much without places to use them, so it's good to hear LG's announcement this week that it's working on providing the infrastructure for contactless payments. The Korean company has set its sights on Europe, where it's conducting beta testing of point-of-sale technology that will facilitate paying for goods and services by swiping your phone near an NFC sensor. We're not told whether that phone would necessarily have to be built by LG, though we imagine the company would be well served by including as many devices as possible and just taking its slice of the profits. Whatever LG does, it's looking increasingly safe to assume that having NFC on your phone will be a legitimate asset in the coming months (and not just if you live in Japan).
Apple job posting suggests NFC capability for iPad, iPhone
Thanks to Apple's job board, we may have more evidence that a future version of the iPhone and iPad may include Near Field Communication technology. A recent job listing is seeking a HW test engineer with experience in embedded systems and knowledge of various technologies including RFID. Engadget notes that the listing was changed in the past 24 hours, and the RFID in the job listing has been replaced with RF. Another recent job listing is seeking a manager for a global payment platform. Each individual will "contribute to the analysis and development of new payment types and processes for the various business units," which include iTunes, the online Apple store and Apple retail stores. The listing does not explicitly mention NFC, but one payment type new to the US and gaining momentum is NFC. After lagging behind areas like Japan where NFC technology is ubiquitous, mobile payments using Near Field Communication is poised to take off here in the US. Three of four of the major wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, are banding together to form a venture named Isis. Isis will be a nationwide commercial network that permits mobile payments via NFC-enable smarpthones and Discover's payment infrastructure. To compete with this carrier-driven endeavor, Apple could establish its own payment network that uses iOS devices and your iTunes account to make wireless purchases. Apple could turn the growing mobile payments market upside down if it could implement such a system on a large scale. [Via Engadget, AppleInsider]
Apple job posts point to built-in NFC capabilities for iPad / iPhone
Ladies and gentlemen of the, ahem, jury, we intend to show -- through rumors and circumstantial evidence -- that Apple might very well be building Nexus S-like NFC capabilities into next-generation iPhones and iPads. We present for your consideration exhibits A, B, and C: three Apple job posts, seeking two managers of global payment platforms and one test engineer for iPhone hardware. According to the original post, the right engineer possesses a background in both ICT (information and communication technology) and RFID (radio frequency identification), which forms the basis for NFC. Suspiciously, Apple removed the "ID" in "RFID" sometime in the past 24 hours. Still not convinced of Apple's NFC involvement? Consider this: Apple's manager of global payment platforms is tasked with contributing "to the analysis and development of new payment types and processes." Okay, so there's not a smoking gun in sight, but a little innocent conjecture never hurt anybody.
iPad 2, iPhone 5 could use NFC for mobile payments
A report from Bloomberg suggests Apple will integrate Near Field Communication technology into the iPhone 5 for AT&T and the iPad 2. The technology would let you make purchases wirelessly by waving your iOS device over an NFC-enabled register. The payment-processing system would tie into your iTunes account, which stores your personal and credit card information. Earlier rumors pointed to NFC-enabled iPhones that would function as an electronic wallet or a security passkey. This previous rumor also hinted that Apple's lineup of Mac computers would incorporate NFC technology in a two-way system that would let your iPhone communicate with your Mac. NFC technology is expected to grow in the upcoming years here in the US. Recently, Samsung and Google introduced the Nexus S, the first NFC-enabled handset powered by Android. Google is also piloting a Hotpot program in Portland, Oregon that lets businesses place an NFC-enabled display in their windows. This specialized signage will send store and promotional information to NFC-capable handsets. Though Apple has not detailed its plans for near field communication, a recent patent application suggests Apple is exploring the idea of an electronic ticketing system using NFC. [Via 9to5Mac]
McDonald's to start accepting contactless Visa payments in all UK restaurants by this summer
The UK already has a big old investment in contactless technology with London's rather successful Oystercard travel scheme, but now the whole Kingdom can get a taste for airborne payments thanks to a new initiative from McDonald's and Visa. The two giants of commerce are uniting to bring NFC tech to all of the former's 1,200 fast food restaurants within the UK, allowing hungry Brits to pay for meals costing up to £15 by simply waving their credit card in front of the till Obi-wan-style. Of course, the real excitement of such large-scale NFC proliferation is in the potential to use those automated tills with your Nexus S (which has an NFC chip built right in) and other devices coming up this year that look set to feature the technology. So yeah, Visa had better be working hard on putting together some mobile apps. [Thanks, Steve]
iPhone 4 gets stuck with NFC 'sticker' from Japan's Softbank
One of the lesser known predictions of the Mayan calendar foretells that 2011 will be the year of NFC. The contactless communications stuff looks to be building all kinds of steam in the Western world, but don't lose faith in your current smartphone if it doesn't already have it. Japanese carrier Softbank has responded to complaints about the iPhone 4's NFC deficit -- the FeliCa payment system is pretty popular over in the land of sumo, sushi and sun-rising -- by introducing a new "seal" for the back of Apple's latest and greatest. It sticks on, covering almost the entire rear, but is apparently thin enough not to get in the way of using one of Apple's own Bumpers alongside it. From our reading of the press release, the sticker doesn't actually communicate with the iPhone, it's just a dumb NFC card, but hey, other people don't need to know that when you're swiping payments with your phone, now do they? On sale in February at a price of ¥2,980 ($36).
Google rolls out NFC-equipped Places business kits, muscles in on location-based territory in Portland
Yelp may be the raconteur of restaurant recommendations and Foursquare the cardinal of check-ins, but Google has an ace up its sleeve: NFC chips. The company's embedded near-field communications chips into each and every one of these "Recommended on Google Places" window stickers, which you'll be able to trigger with a shiny new Nexus S -- just hold your handset up to the black dot, and voila, your phone gets a "tag." Google's now distributing the signs on a trial basis to Portland, Oregon businesses as part of a larger Google Places kit, though it doesn't explain how (or if) they'll be able to program the chips. Either way, if you own a hot new joint in Portland, you might as well give it a spin. Find the sign-up form at our more coverage link, or peep a Nexus S doing its thing after the break.
Samsung Nexus S utilizing NXP's PN544 NFC chip
Well, color us surprised. Just last Wednesday, Samsung announced that it had developed its very own NFC module in-house, but today we're learning that it came just a few months too late for inclusion in the outfit's forthcoming Nexus S. Right on cue, NXP Semiconductors has come forward today proclaiming its involvement in the first handset to ship with Android 2.3. The outfit's PN544 NFC controller and accompanying open source software stack will be used in the Nexus S, and naturally they've both been "fully integrated and validated on Gingerbread." Of course, only time will tell what sort of applications spring up to take advantage, but we've got a feeling that metro payments and the like could be first in line. Nice of America to finally catch up, right?
Samsung cooks up its own NFC module, destined for the Nexus S?
Curious timing, no? Just last month, Google's own Eric Schmidt revealed that the Nexus S (manufactured by none other than Samsung) would have "NFC features," and he even went on to proclaim that this kind of technology would eventually supplant the tried-and-true credit card. Today, Sammy itself has revealed a new near field communications (NFC) chip with embedded flash memory, and we're told that this guy remains active for mobile payment even without battery power. Of course, we're still waiting for a confirmed price and release date for the aforesaid smartphone, but could Samsung's NFC mass production date of Q1 2011 be the clue we've been yearning for? Fingers and toes crossed, okay everyone?
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announce Isis national mobile commerce network
Just in time for the total economic collapse of Europe and the rise of the cyber-nomadic tribes, the kids at Discover, Barclaycard, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have a name for their mobile phone-based payment system: Isis. Essentially it remains what we heard from Bloomberg a few months back: a system for using an app on your phone to send payments to a POS system using NFC technology. The Isis team thinks it has "the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis," and we wish them the best. But we know how it all ends anyways: with the lucky among us dead, and the rest of us living in caves, hiding from death-dealing robots, and bartering for what we can't scrounge from the ruins of our once-great cities. PR after the break.
ASSA ABLOY trials remote hotel check-ins, unlocking your room with NFC cellphones (video)
Just think of it, no more hanging around your hotel's front desk like some unrefined homo erectus. The Clarion Hotel in Stockholm is starting up a new pilot program to allow visitors to check in and collect their room key without the repugnant need for speaking to an actual human being -- it can all be done with an NFC-equipped mobile phone. Provided your smartphone can do the near-field communications dance, all your information can be remotely downloaded, stored, and wiped (if need be), and you can even check out from a room using the accompanying application. Samsung handsets are being provided to selected customers during the period of this trial, though once its four-month incubation period is over, you'll have to bring your own bit of advanced telephony to avoid the queues. We're sure you'll think of something. Video and full press release after the break.
