Tag: nfc technology

Rumors about the next Apple smartphone are flying and they include a number of additions.

The latest predictions about the iPhone 5S have been claiming that Apple will finally be including NFC technology in its device, and that it will be combined with a fingerprint reader for added mobile security.

This new pair of features could allow Apple to support payments with a great deal of added security.

Neither the rumors about the inclusion of NFC technology or of the fingerprint reader are new, but they are becoming increasingly prevalent in the predictions for the iPhone 5S. Both of those features had been predicted for the iPhone 5 release, but it looked as though the manufacturer was seeking further development before they were to be included in a release.

NFC technology has been long awaited from Apple mobile devices

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst from KGI, it is expected that the fingerprint reader will be built directly into the newest device’s home button. In addition to this prediction, the latest rumor from China, through Macotakara, has said that it is also the manufacturer’s intention to enable the iPhone 5S with NFC technology – a feature that was notably lacking from their last smartphone release.

This would allow the new smartphone to support mobile payments at any of the growing number of retailers and merchants that are already supporting mobile payments based on NFC technology. The security for the use of that type of transaction could be heightened if combined with the use of the fingerprint reader under the device home button.

In 2012, Apple purchased Authentec for $356 million, which would allow the company to add fingerprint reading to its devices for greater security levels. Authentec had already established itself as an expert in mobile biometric security even before it was acquired.

As security has been a considerable barrier to the use of mobile payments by consumers, the addition of the combination of the fingerprint reading with the NFC technology might make the difference in allowing consumers to feel more comfortable and secure in using their devices in place of a loyalty, credit or debit card for making a purchase while shopping in store.

The largest American in-mall digital network has now added both the barcodes and the contactless tech.

Adspace Digital Mall Network has just announced that it is installing both QR codes and NFC technology into 140 malls across the United States, within their network, in order to improve the shopping experience.

This new initiative will use the mTAG platform from Blue Bite on the mall Smart Screen.

The new feature will allow clients to view advertising with QR codes that they can scan with their smartphones, or they can tap the screen to activate the NFC technology. The mTAG placard that is located on the side of the Smart Screen units provide a considerably higher level of interactivity for shoppers.

The QR codes and NFC tags will become available to advertisers in the malls as of April 15, 2013.

As of yet, it is has not been announced whether there are plans to expand this QR codes program to the rest of the 206 total malls in the network if it proves to be successful. It is also not yet known whether the company intends to use data collected from the scans, such as the number of successful scans and which campaigns prove to be the most successful in terms of the activity that they generate. It has also not yet been announced whether the use of the barcodes will be compared with that of the NFC technology.

The QR codes and NFC tags are designed to facilitate a number of different types of interactions between brands and consumers. The mTAG experience is meant to be a rich one that offers content such as app, ebook, mp3 and movie trailer downloads, as well as web based games and applications, social media integration, coupons and other promotions, maps, and more.

With the scan of the QR codes or the use of the other mobile features on the Smart Screens, this information can be downloaded or viewed directly on the user’s own device. The barcodes were included because while NFC technology is considered to be the ideal choice for this interactive mall feature, there are still only a small percentage of device owners whose smartphones are enabled with those chips.