JCB to test multipurpose biometric authentication for potential launch of authentication and payment scheme using visible light palm authentication — JCB — “JCB will be running a trial of multipurpose server-based visible light palm authentication in February at JCB headquarters in Tokyo, Japan… The trial will focus on testing technical aspects during the registration and payment flow: capturing customer palm print and vein patterns with a smartphone camera, storing the patterns on a server, performing authentication, and returning the results to the smartphone.”
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Hasbro picks NXP chips for new NFC music mixing game
NXP powers NFC experience in Hasbro and Harmonix’s dynamic music-mixing game Dropmix — NXP — PARTNER NEWS — “This fast-paced, music-mixing game empowers players to create unique mixes with hit songs by playing NFC chip-enabled cards on a game board connected to a free mobile app… The board reads up to five Dropmix cards at a time, and the proprietary software in the app seamlessly combines the music within each card to create a unique mix.”
Rambus forecasts omnichannel tokenization and ‘merchant pay’ as key trends for 2018

PARTNER NEWS: 2018 will see the emergence of omnichannel tokenization, a wealth of new payment use-cases such as connected cars, and the rise of ‘merchant pay’ — retailer issued mobile wallets — according to Rambus... More
Forum publishes updated NFC technical specs
NFC Forum publishes 2017 technical specification release — NFC Forum — “The 2017 Technical Specifications Release comprises 21 new or updated near field communication technical specifications… The specifications feature the latest NFC technology and usability upgrades that significantly impact and advance functionality in a number of key areas for consumers and businesses.”
Meet NFC World’s partners at Trustech

NFC World partners Antelop Solutions, Dejamobile, HID Global, NXP, Okey Co and STMicroelectronics will be at Trustech in Cannes, France from 28 to 30 November... More
Carnival explains how its NFC and BLE devices will power next-generation cruise ship guest experiences

Carnival Corporation’s Michael Jungen explains how the world’s largest leisure travel company will use its new NFC and BLE-enabled Ocean Medallions to provide guests with a wide range of personalized, next generation services on board its cruise ships in an in-depth paper which is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre. More
Researchers develop continuous biometric login for smartphones
NSF grant to develop one-handed smartphone authentication — Illinois State University — “The interactions, such as strokes, that users make with their thumbs when working with smartphones can be very unique,” said Lai, who is an assistant professor in the School of Information Technology. “We can use these interactions to identify different users. This is what we call thumb biometrics.”
UK challenger bank Starling adds support for Fitbit Pay
Digital challenger bank Starling is the first to support Fitbit Pay in the UK — City AM — “Customers of digital challenger Starling will be able to pay using their Fitbit smartwatch as it becomes the first bank in the UK to support Fitbit Pay… Starling added support for Apple Pay, which works on both the Apple Watch and iPhones, over the summer and Android Pay in September.”
Rambus to demo mobile payments, tokenization and HCE solutions at Money20/20 USA
Let’s talk about mobile payments @ Money20/20 — Rambus — PARTNER NEWS — “We will be at booth 833, showcasing a range of mobile payments products, including our Unified Payment Platform, as well as our Token Service Provider and Host Card Emulation (HCE) solutions… Interested in learning more? You can arrange a meeting with a member of the Rambus team at +31 10 885 10 10 or contact us via email.”
Eftpos brings Apple Pay debit payments to Australia with Rambus tokenization technology

PARTNER NEWS: ANZ has become the first bank in Australia to enable customers to use Apple Pay to make mobile payments using the country’s Eftpos national debit payments network... More
NFC Forum certifies NFC tag chips from STMicroelectronics

PARTNER NEWS: Three STMicroelectronics ST25 NFC tag chips have been certified for performance and interoperability under the NFC Forum’s new NFC tag certification program, which is designed to ensure “consistent, compelling, and connected user experiences” across NFC tags, readers and handsets... More
Guide explains Apple Pay integration options for banks

A 10-page guide that outlines the technologies and capabilities banks must have in place to connect to Apple Pay, along with the options open to them for integration, is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
Google drops NFC unlock feature for Android devices
Google quietly discontinues NFC Smart Unlock without explanation — BetaNews — “The feature, which makes it possible to unlock a phone with an NFC device such as a ring or bracelet, has been discontinued without explanation.”
Rambus publishes quick guide to Apple Pay

A newly updated 12-page primer that quickly explains how Apple’s NFC-based mobile payment system works in clear and simple language is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
NXP releases NFC tag toolkit for iOS

PARTNER NEWS: NXP has announced a toolkit designed to make it easy for iOS 11 developers to take advantage of the NFC tag reading capabilities that are now supported by iPhones and unlock “the potential to now connect billions of consumer and industrial products to the Internet of Things (IoT)”... More
MediaTek to offer OEMs ‘complete mobile payment platform’ that uses STMicroelectronics NFC technology

PARTNER NEWS: Mobile chipset giant MediaTek has integrated STMicroelectronics’ NFC technology into its mobile platforms, creating “a complete solution for handset developers to design next-generation smartphones capable of supporting tightly integrated NFC mobile services”... More
ST offers technical guidance on deploying NFC readers

An in-depth presentation on STMicroelectronics’ ST25R NFC reader family that sets out the technical requirements for integrating NFC services in a wide variety of markets including payments, access control, connected homes and automotive applications is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
BBC fools HSBC voice recognition security system
BBC fools HSBC voice recognition security system — BBC News — “What’s really alarming is that the bank allowed me seven attempts to mimic my brothers’ voiceprint and get it wrong, before I got in at the eighth time of trying.”
Mastercard analyzes social media payments buzz
Digital wallets were the new way to pay most discussed by consumers on social media in 2016, the 2017 edition of the Mastercard Digital Payments Study has found, with consumers around the world also increasingly interested in the payments possibilities of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, smart home assistants, wearables, and the Internet of Things... More
GoCardless warns customers after burglary
Fintech startup GoCardless has contacted customers to warn of possible data loss after a break-in at its London offices in January... More