Apple May Incorporate NFC Into Many Products
Near Field Communications, or NFC, seems to be all the rage right now. With Google making it one of the shining features of their latest and greatest Android device, the Nexus S, it looks like major companies are banking on the idea that people want to be able to access, interact, or purchase items right from their phone, without having to open an application. Thanks to the ability of the NFC chip inside devices to offer short-range authentication, with the right information in a particular device, a world of possibilities is open. And, according to one expert, it looks like Apple is ready to jump on the bandwagon as well, and not only introduce NFC into the next iteration of iPhone, but as well as many other Apple products.
Gerald Madlmayr is an NFC expert based out of Vienna. He believes that, due to the wonder that is NFC and the possibilities it offers, Apple is surely getting ready to introduce plenty of new gadgets in the near future that have the chip built in. For example, he points out how cool it would be just to put your next generation iPad next to an AirPort wireless router, and have it connect (with full security in place), without having to do any further configurations. All of this could happen in a blink of an eye, thanks to the NFC technology in place.
There are so many other options for the technology, that it seems hard to believe that companies, as well as other businesses, wouldn't want to jump on board. Madlmayr believes the same thing, saying that the technology is "poised to take off." We know that Google is invested in the technology, and we know that Nokia is looking at NFC for their phones coming out in 2011. However, like the Nexus S, it won't be just the NFC chip inside that makes the device compelling enough to purchase.
One other cool feature for an NFC chip? Instead of pulling out your smartphone and opening up the FourSquare application, all you'd have to do is enter a business, locate the RFID chip, and swipe your phone next to it. The chip, and the device would take care of the rest for you, allowing you to check in automatically. Of course, purchasing things from businesses with just a swipe of your phone is great, too, especially with the added security that the technology features.
With Google, Nokia, and now Apple expected to push the NFC train forward, do you believe that business won't want to get in on the action?
[via Cult of Mac]
