PARTNER NEWS: NXP has unveiled a dynamic NFC chip that can be used by electronic device makers to let consumers use their mobile phone as a remote user interface “rather than relying on expensive touchscreens or WiFi connectivity for wireless data exchange on home electronics.” More
- Eventbrite brings tap to pay to the events industry
- Biometric card pioneer backs away from payments citing lower-than-expected market uptake
- EU calls for feedback on proposed settlement with Apple over NFC chip access
- Google signs deal to take UPI beyond India
- NFC Forum spells out DPP ambitions in ebook
Apple iWatch to support NFC payments?
Apple plans to include NFC in a new smartwatch that will be unveiled on 9 September, as well as in the next iPhone, the Wall Street Journal reports, “signaling that it sees a role for the device in digital payments.” NFC “is central to Apple’s plans to offer so-called tap-to-pay into its mobile devices, allowing users to pay for goods and services using credit cards stored with iTunes,” the report adds... More
Pepsi NFC case study now available
A case study that details an NFC-based shopper marketing service tested by soft drinks giant Pepsi is now available to download free of charge from the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre... More
Introducing the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre
NFC World+ now has a Knowledge Centre which provides readers with in-depth reports, technical guides and market briefings on the technologies shaping the future of mobile payments and commerce. Sign up to the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre today and you’ll get unlimited access to this unique resource — completely free of charge. More
Graceland uses Bluetooth beacons to guide Elvis fans
Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley and now a major tourist attraction, is offering every visitor the use of an iPad that works in conjunction with Bluetooth beacons placed around the Memphis mansion to help guests navigate the attraction and “trigger additional content including videos, trivia and more.” More
Keep up to date: Get NFCW's headlines by email every Wednesday
Retailer-owned payments venture MCX unveils CurrentC brand
Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), the mobile payments venture co-owned by US retail chains with collective revenues of more than US$1 trillion annually, has announced that its payments, loyalty and offers platform is to be called CurrentC — and provided the first details of how the service will work when it rolls out to 110,000 merchant locations across the US in 2015. More
Desjardins launches NFC payments in Canada
An NFC mobile payments service is now available to customers of Quebec-based financial institution Desjardins Group. The Desjardins Mobile Payment service works with NFC phones provided by Bell Mobility, Rogers and Virgin Mobile with Telus and “other mobile carriers” to be added soon. More
McDonald’s to launch NFC payments in the US this month?
Fast food giant McDonald’s will begin accepting NFC mobile payments in US stores on 15 September, an internal notice sent out to franchisees and seen by 9to5Mac suggests. More
Isis to rebrand as Softcard
US NFC mobile payments venture Isis has chosen Softcard as its new name... More
Macy’s launches digital wallet
Customers of US department store chain Macy’s can now make online payments and save offers that can be redeemed in store with a new digital wallet, WWD reports... More
Nordstrom to partner Apple on payments?
Upmarket US retailer Nordstrom is in talks to partner with Apple on its new mobile payments service, Bank Innovation reports... More
Melbourne Cricket Club equips roving snack vendors with Bluetooth beacons
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons are being attached to the trays of roving snack and drink vendors for football matches taking place at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia this month. The beacons trigger location-specific messages to fans’ smartphones as the vendors move around the stadium, inviting them to show the message to the vendor to receive a free pie. More
Keep up to date: Get NFCW's headlines by email every Wednesday
Downtown uses Bluetooth beacons to deliver orders to customers’ tables
A café in Palo Alto, California is using a new service developed by startup Downtown that lets customers order and pay for their meals with their mobile phone. Bluetooth beacons placed at each table link each order with the table the customer is seated at, enabling waiting staff to bring ordered items directly to the correct table. More
JD Sports adds BLE beacons
UK sports fashion chain JD has installed Bluetooth beacons at its new concept store in Manchester’s Trafford Centre, letting customers who have downloaded the JD app “access exclusive store content and shop from the app before paying in-store.” The store also features eight multi-channel kiosks and a social media wall, and staff have been equipped with iPads “to assist with customers’ enquiries.”... More
BBVA reports 250,000 mobile wallet users
Spain-based banking group BBVA has signed up 250,000 customers for its BBVA Wallet service and is to expand availability to the US, Mexico and Chile this year. The wallet includes support for host card emulation (HCE)-based payments for customers with an NFC phone running Android 4.4 or later. More
Vodafone to launch NFC payments in the UK this month
Mobile network operator Vodafone is preparing to make NFC payments available to its customers in the UK in time for the launch of contactless bank card payments on London’s public transport network on 16 September, the carrier has told NFC World+. More
Broadcom offers IoT developer kit
Chip maker Broadcom has introduced Wiced Sense, a developer kit designed “to enable developers to rapidly prototype ideas and concepts for IoT devices and applications.” More
Visa licenses transactional ad platform
Visa has acquired a strategic licence for the technology platform developed by transactional advertising pioneer TrialPay... More
Alipay partners with Huawei to add biometric security to mobile payments
Chinese online payments giant Alipay is working with Huawei to enable users of the phone maker’s new Ascend Mate 7 handset to secure their mobile payments using a fingerprint sensor built into the phone. The tie-up, Alipay says, will provide “a way to fast-track biometric payment technology in China.” More
Visa adds Checkout partners
Visa has signed agreements with a wide range of new partners that will make its new Visa Checkout service available to more than 4m online merchants across the US... More