Apple has taken its first official step into the world of mobile commerce with the introduction of the iPhone 6 and Apple Pay. The new iPhone will have a variety of features that make it popular with long term iOS fans, but it will also be equipped with an NFC chip that allows it to participate in mobile commerce. NFC support has been something that Apple customers have been wanting for a long time. When the iPhone 5 was unveiled, iOS fans criticized Apple for its lack of NFC support.
Apple Pay is meant to make mobile payments more convenient among consumers. Numerous financial institutions have announced their support for the service, which means that a lot of people will be able to use Apple Pay without having to open accounts with financial firms that they are not comfortable with. The service has also been embraced by numerous companies in the retail industry, which are beginning to grow more inclusive when it comes to mobile commerce. This is nothing new in the mobile space, however.
When it comes to mobile commerce, many financial institutions and retail organizations embrace new services in order to connect with mobile consumers more effectively. This behavior is also common among consumers. People often embrace new services as they become available, but jump from one service to the next as they see fit. Apple Pay is not immune to this behavior, and if it cannot provide consumers with enough incentive to continue using it, people will find something similar, but more aligned with their interests.
Apple Pay has one thing that is working against it: NFC technology. Ironically, Apple had initially been leery of NFC because of its supposed lack of security. With the iPhone 6, NFC technology has been embraced by the company, but the device will not work with any other mobile payments platform apart from Apple Pay. This means that iPhone 6 owners will not be able to use their device’s NFC chip with any other NFC-enabled mobile commerce service.
Lucy |
September 19, 2014
NFC-enabled iPhone 6 will only work with the Apple Pay platform
Apple has some bad news about the iPhone 6 and Apple Pay. The famed technology company recently revealed its new device and mobile payments service, both of which have been well received by consumers. The iPhone 6 garnered praise for its inclusion of NFC technology, something that iOS users have been wanting for some time. The NFC-enabled iPhone will allow consumers to make use of a variety of mobile commerce platforms, or would have done if not for Apple Pay.
Apple is closing off the iPhone’s NFC chip to developers during the initial launch of the device
The NFC chip embedded in the iPhone 6 will only work with the Apple Pay platform. Apple is opting to keep the NFC chip closed off from developers during the initial launch of its new device and service. This is similar to what Apple did with its Touch ID biometric sensor that was introduced with its previous iteration of the iPhone. Though Apple has declined to comment on its future use of NFC technology, sources have confirmed that the company’s use of NFC will currently be restricted to Apple Pay.
NFC technology continues to make up the backbone of mobile commerce
NFC technology has made up much of the infrastructure that supports mobile payments. This technology allows for digital information to be transmitted over short distances, which is ideal for mobile commerce solutions. The problem with NFC-based systems is that they can only be accessed using NFC-based devices. So, a device that is not equipped with an NFC chip cannot use a mobile commerce solution that makes use of NFC technology.
Apple has a troubled history with NFC technology
Apple has had some concerns regarding the security of NFC technology in the past. Some platforms have fallen prey to malicious attracts, some of which have exploited NFC in a way to gain access to consumer financial information. Apple may still be leery of this technology, which is why it is limiting its use of NFC to the Apple Pay platform.