Tag: nfc technologies

Broadcom sees promise in NFC technology

| November 21, 2012

 

Broadcom continues to show strong support for NFC technology

NFC technology has hit somethingnfc technology shows promise of a rough patch in the technology sector, especially in regards to its use in mobile commerce. Much of the mobile commerce industry has been built on NFC technology, but some technology companies, financial institutions, and consumers have expressed concerns over the security of NFC. In light of security concerns, some have begun moving away from NFC technology, hoping to find alternatives without having to abandon the mobile commerce industry. Others, however, continue to show strong support for NFC technology., Such is the case with Broadcom, a California-based chipmaker.

Nexus 4 popularity boosts interest surrounding NFC

Broadcom built the NFC chip and controller that is used in Google’s Nexus 4 mini-tablet device. The Nexus 4 launched earlier this month and Google has seen a great deal of interest for the product, especially in the UK market where stores have sold out of the device due to high demand. The device’s features have been widely praised, especially its use of NFC technology. Broadcom considers the popularity of the Nexus 4 a major win, suggesting that it is attracting more interest to NFC technology by showing off the capabilities of NFC.

Broadcom software freely available

Broadcom has now introduced its NFC software to the Android Open Source Project as well as to the Android 4.2 operating system. This has made the software widely available for anyone interested in using it — for free. Broadcom is well aware of the risks associated with making its NFC software freely available. The company notes that pushing NFC standards throughout the industries that use the technology is a top priority, however. By making its software available, Broadcom aims to help expedite the standardization of NFC technology.

NFC for more than just mobile commerce

NFC technology is widely used as a mobile commerce tool. The technology can allow mobile devices to make purchases in a way similar to credit cards. The technology also has uses beyond mobile commerce and has found some success in the marketing industry. NFC can also be used effectively as a form of wireless data transfer. Broadcom believes that its software can help establish standards in numerous industries that will ensure consumers have a positive experience with NFC technology.

NFC Market expected to see major growth

| November 20, 2012

 

Report highlights the growth of the NFC market

MarketsandMarkets, a leading marNFC Market Growth Mobile Commerceket research publication, has published a new report titled “Near Field Communication (NFC) Market — Global Forecast & Analysis.” The report highlights the various trends that surround the NFC market and predicts the growth that the technology will see between  the 2011 to 2016 period. The report covers a wide range of aspects in the NFC market, such as NFC applications, reading technologies, electronic ticketing, mobile marketing, and mobile commerce.

NFC market expected to see CAGR of 38% through 2016

According to the report, the global NFC market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 38% between 2011 and 2016. The NFC applications market alone is expected to reach more than $10 billion by the end of 2016. The report also notes that NFC technology will continue to see significant attention in the realm of mobile commerce. This is largely due to the fact that much of mobile commerce hinges on the capabilities of NFC technology.

Marketing may play a major role in growth

NFC has begun to attract a great deal of attention beyond the mobile commerce space. The technology has, in the past, been used in mobile marketing as a way to engage consumers. NFC is seeing more interest in this field as consumers become more familiar with the technology. The marketing industry is expected to add a significant amount of momentum to the NFC market. The technology is also proficient in facilitating data transfer and managing security access protocols, two additional sectors which are growing more popular throughout the world.

Consumers still leery of mobile commerce

The majority of growth the NFC market will see is expected to occur in the mobile applications space, especially in regards to mobile commerce platforms. These mobile applications allow consumers to make purchases using their smart phones and other NFC-enabled devices. The most significant challenges that could slow growth or derail it entirely remain in the fields of security and the scarcity of NFC-enabled mobile devices. Low availability and lackluster security features have left many consumers leery of the NFC market and its applications.