Apple may be including Near Field Communication (NFC) tech in its next gen iPhone.
According to a recent report from BrightWire, a New York-based global investment newsier, it is likely that Apple will be adding NFC technology into its next generation iPhone.
Apple has partnered with China UnionPay to incorporate the bankcard firm’s services into Passbook.
The BrightWire report, which obtained information from a “source close to the matter”, revealed the deal that was made between the two companies would enable iPhone users to download the bankcard company’s application to Passbook, giving users the power to make NFC payments on more than 3 million of the bankcard’s “QuickPass” POS machines in China.
The sole domestic bankcard organization and interbank network in China, China UnionPay’s network connects ATMs across the country’s fourteen major banking institutions among others. Presently, China UnionPay is creating a payments system that is consistent with its People’s Bank of China (PBOC) QuickPass standard and is compatible with the iOS platform.
UnionPay and Apple will also work together on developing a mobile payments service separate from the NFC payment. According to the source, the other mobile payment solution from the two companies will be designed for purchasing products in Apple stores.
Apple filed for an NFC technology patent earlier this year.
Media reports from earlier this year have said that in January 2014, the company filed for a patent covering NFC technology with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Some people may find it surprising if Apple incorporates Near Field Communication technology into their iPhone 6, considering back in 2012, Phil Schiller, the company’s head of marketing, stated that NFC was not the clear solution to any current problem at the time.
Last month, Ming-Chi Kuo, KGI Securities’ analyst predicted Apple would incorporate several features into its next gen iPhone, including NFC chips. There has also been news that Apple is looking into developing a mobile payment solution that involves the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a feature that already exists on the iPhone 5s and is rumored to be included in the iPhone 6, as well. Another speculation that was born after the company filed for a patent in September 2013 is Apple may combine NFC technology and its current fingerprint scanner into the home button.
Mobile commerce may be supported by the next iPhone
The world of mobile technology continues to move at break-neck speeds. Roughly six months after the launch of the iPhone 5, there are rumors circulating through the technology world concerning the next iteration of Apple’s iPhone. Apple is almost certainly working on a new mobile device, but whether it will be a new iPhone has yet to be revealed. The company has been looking to hire new talent that could hint toward the possible future of the iPhone, however, especially its future in the realm of mobile commerce.
Job listings hint at possible uses for AuthenTec technology
Several job listings for Apple are calling to software engineers and other talented individuals. One of these postings is for a position in Apple’s Melbourne Design Center in Florida, where AuthenTec is located. AuthenTec is a security company that Apple acquired in 2012 and Apple has been leveraging the company’s security solutions in order to ensure that mobile devices as protected against malicious attacks. These solutions could come in handy as Apple begins to take mobile commerce more seriously.
Apple backs away from mobile commerce with iPhone 5
In the months before the official launch of the iPhone 5, Apple had hinted that mobile commerce would be a significant focus for the new mobile device. Rumors suggested that the iPhone 5 would be equipped with NFC technology, making it capable of facilitating mobile transactions. This was not the case, however, as Apple adopted a slow and steady approach to the issue of mobile commerce, suggesting that NFC technology was simply not secure enough for the company’s interests in this particular field. While the iPhone 5 has not become the mobile payments platform that many consumers had hoped for, Apple has not abandon its interest in mobile commerce in any significant way.
Security solution could make mobile payments secure through a new iPhone
Apple has recently acquired trademarks for “AuthenTec” and “KeepSafe,” the latter of which refers to a security solution that may be a prominent feature of a future iteration of the iPhone. KeepSafe is a fingerprint enabled application that allows users to encrypt digital information. This information can only be accessed through fingerprint scan, making this information exceptionally secure as it can only be accessed by the owner of the fingerprint on file. This could add a significant layer of protection for Apple’s mobile commerce endeavors if the company has plans to make a future iPhone with mobile payment capabilities.
