Microsoft adds NFC to tag platform
By Sarah Clark 
| nfcworld.com | December 13th, 2011
The software giant has expanded its Microsoft Tag platform to include support for NFC tags as well as QR codes and its own tag technology, ahead of the expected release of the first Windows Phone NFC devices in 2012.
MICROSOFT TAG: Now supports NFC
Microsoft has expanded its tag platform to support NFC tags and QR codes as well as its own proprietary Microsoft Tags, with the aim of turning the platform into a one-stop shop for "recognition technologies" of all types.
"By adding support for reading and creating QR codes and NFC tags, Microsoft Tag delivers the freedom for brands to select the recognition format most appropriate for their customers, and grants customers a single app to launch those experiences," a Microsoft spokesman told NFC World.
"Consumer confusion as to which reader to use and overall market fragmentation was a significant factor in our decision to expand the Tag platform. As we look ahead, we see NFC on the horizon and today lay the groundwork for this technology with the expected boom of adoption in the months and years to come."
"Based on feedback we've heard in the industry, marketers wanted an easy way to use a full suite of recognition technologies all in one place," Aaron Getz, the service's general manager, explains on the Microsoft Tag blog. "With this extension, brands have the freedom to choose the format most appropriate for their campaigns and give consumers the ease of one reader to use."
In September, Microsoft announced support for NFC in Windows 8. The first Windows Phone devices with NFC capabilities are expected to arrive on the market next year.
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