HID Global aims to make NFC technology more secure through new service
HID Global, a leading manufacturer of secure identity solutions, has announced the launch of a new cloud-based platform that will add more security to NFC tags and other services based on the technology. HID Global believes that the new security platform will eliminate some of the risks inherent in using NFC technology and make it more attractive for companies interested in things like mobile commerce and marketing. It will also provide another layer of security for the transfer of digital information, such as documents and other important data.
NFC receives criticism for lackluster security
NFC technology is popular in both mobile commerce and mobile marketing because of its ability to engage consumers in a dynamic way. In commerce, NFC serves as a platform for transactions being made through a mobile device, such as a smart phone. The technology is capable of turning these devices into mobile payments platforms. Despite the popularity of NFC technology, it has managed to attract criticism for its lackluster security features. Because the technology is beginning to play a bigger role in society, HID Global is looking to help solve some of the security problems inherent with NFC technology.
New services provides authentication and identity certification to NFC tags
The new service from HID Global will help ensure that NFC tags are safe and free of exploitation. This will be done through the attribution of an authentication transaction environment. This allows for the system to distribute and maintain identity certificates for the NFC tags it accounts for, thus ensuring the integrity of these tags. HID Global will be able to determine whether or not the tags associated with the system have been compromised and determine how they were exploited.
Security continues to be a major concern in mobile commerce
NFC technology has garnered a great deal of attention for its abilities to engage consumers in a new way. The adoption of the technology has, however, been impeded by security concerns. In mobile commerce, a shortfall in the security of NFC technology could mean that a consumer’s financial information could be at risk of theft and exploitation. These concerns have served to slow the progress of the mobile commerce industry significantly.
Kraft Foods tests capabilities of mobile marketing tools
Consumer goods giant Kraft Foods has been quietly trialing NFC technology and QR codes over the last few months. The company has taken note of the growing popularity surrounding NFC technology and has been using tags embedded with NFC chips to market certain products. These NFC tags have been used alongside QR codes which have been implemented for the same purpose. The two marketing tools were pitted against one another to determine which was more effective with consumers.
NFC wins in popularity, but not in accessibility
Kraft Foods has finished its trail and found that NFC tags are indeed more popular than QR codes. According to Kraft Foods, NFC tags are more attuned to mobile shoppers than QR codes because they are easier to use. The trial took place at five, high traffic grocery stores in San Francisco, California. A multitude of Kraft products, as well as those from its subsidiaries, featured both NFC tags and QR codes that provided shoppers with information regarding the products and, in some cases, discounts. Kraft Foods notes that engagement with the NFC tags was nearly twelve times greater than engagement with QR codes.
NFC tags only available to those with capable mobile devices
NFC tags may have been able to beat out QR codes in terms of popularity, but they were not able to compete in terms of affordability and accessibility. NFC tags are somewhat more expensive than QR codes, considering the fact that QR codes can be generated for free. The codes can also be scanned by any mobile device that has a camera and a code scanning application. NFC tags can only be accessed by NFC-enabled mobile devices, which are still very rare. Furthermore, using NFC tags would alienate the entirety of consumers with Apple mobile devices, as none of these devices supports NFC technology.
QR codes remain leader of mobile marketing tools
While NFC may be a more engaging marketing tool than QR codes, the audience for NFC tags is still very limited. For this reason, QR codes are expected to remain the most favored mobile marketing tool in the business, at least until more consumers get their hands on NFC-enabled mobile devices. Few companies have been won over by the advertising prospects of NFC technology, nonetheless, so QR codes may remain dominant even after NFC-enabled devices become popular.
