Near Field Communication (NFC), in our opinion, will be the big story of late 2011 as it finally becomes widely adopted in the marketplace. NFC is basically a small chipset component that can store vital information e.g. credit card data, making your phone a virtual payment system for use in stores--you simply swipe your phone near the reader, enter your pin and you're good to go.
Apple's iPhone 5 is expected to adopt the tech and Android is already doing so (Sprint's recently announced Samsung Nexus S sports it)--giving the much needed push. But according to the NY Times, a Microsoft partner (Samsung?) is already exploring adopting the tech for Windows Phone 7. And not so surprisingly, Nokia is expected to push for it as well:
"A person familiar with new iterations of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform said a partner handset manufacturer is also exploring adding this technology to the next version of a Microsoft mobile phone. This person also said the new partnership with Nokia and Microsoft could catapult this technology into the mainstream as Nokia has said in the past that it plans to add N.F.C. technology to all its new phones in 2011."
NFC is certainly the future of smartphones. WiFi, GPS, augmented reality, and 4G are all on their way, if not already, to being mainstream, but we think 2011 will be about NFC and mobile payments. At least Windows Phone won't be left on the sidelines.
Source: NYTimes
Comments
This is an absolute must. Just written a paper on this, according to a recent Guardian article Apple will not be including NFC in the next iteration of iPhones. Meaning if WP7 gets involved then they might be able to snag some more marketshare from Apple as we will all be paying for our stuff via NFC by the end of 2012. Android supports it with the Nexus S and Galaxy S II. I would almost certainly say it's going to be Samsung looking to bring it to WP7.
NFC is going to be just like Video Chat. It's not widespread enough here and darn sure not secure enough yet. Maybe int 2012 and 2013. But right now, I think it's just a gimmick.
Big difference is carriers are stepping behind NFC. Combined with OEM and OS support, that's the perfect mixture. It'll be awhile before it's ubiquitous, but mark my words--2nd half 2011 is the beginning of mass roll out.Video chat got a huge boost with EVO 4G and iPhone 4--once again, it needed a catalyst. Apple and 4G tech was it.
The megarollout will be Q1 2012. People (non techhies) will become aware of what it is by the end of the year. The current problem is that there is not a formal standard to work to. However there is a major project underway: http://www.paywithisis.com/
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