PARTNER NEWS: Chip maker AMS, one of two NFC IC suppliers to Apple, has introduced a development kit and software stack designed to make it easy to build NFC functionality into routers, set-top boxes, automotive infotainment systems, consumer electronics devices, home appliances and other NFC-enabled electronics products... More
Antenna
iPhone 6 teardown shows NFC chips from NXP — and AMS
A teardown conducted by iFixit shows that Apple is using NFC chips from both NXP and AMS in the new iPhone 6, which began shipping today. The inclusion of an NXP chip was expected but the AMS chip is a surprise addition. More
Transcript: Apple CEO Tim Cook and SVP Eddy Cue introduce Apple Pay mobile payments and NFC
“It’s all about the wallet,” Apple CEO Tim Cook explained during the unveiling of Apple Pay mobile payments and the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch with NFC on 9 September... More
23 Apple patents related to NFC and mobile payments
Apple has been steadily building a portfolio of patents related to NFC and mobile payments over recent years, from as far back as 2009. NFC World+ has reported on these as they have been published and links are provided here to details of 23 patents covering technical innovations and use cases in payments, mobile marketing, coupon delivery, gifting, event ticketing, content sharing, travel and beyond. More
Intel patents multi-surface NFC antenna design
The USPTO has published a patent application by three Intel engineers that describes an NFC antenna design which makes use of a cascaded coil concept to enable interactions to be performed without a user needing to precisely orientate their phone... More
Broadcom patents multiple antenna solution for NFC phones
Chip maker Broadcom has developed a way for multiple NFC antennas to be built into an NFC device, making it possible in future for consumers to conduct NFC interactions without having to orientate their phone in a particular way... More
Apple patents NFC antenna that works on all sides of a mobile device
Apple has applied for a patent on an antenna design that allows NFC signals to be transmitted from both the top and bottom of a mobile phone — front and rear — reducing the need for a user to orientate their device in a particular way when conducting an NFC transaction. More
Morgan Stanley predicts Apple will include NFC in iPhone 6 — and NXP will supply the controller chips
“We see growing evidence Apple will adopt NFC as a core part of its mobile payments strategy,” a new report from investment firm Morgan Stanley says — and evidence suggests that NXP has already won the contract to supply NFC controller chips for the iPhone 6... More
Bank develops NFC suit that lets customers pay by swiping a sleeve
Australia’s Heritage Bank has unveiled prototypes of a suit that comes with an embedded NFC chip and antenna to allow its wearer to make NFC payments at contactless POS terminals by simply swiping their sleeve... More
Tomy to launch fingernails that light up with NFC
Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy Arts has unveiled a range of stick-on false nails that contain an NFC antenna and an LED light that can be powered up by an NFC phone... More
Premo introduces compact NFC antenna
A new NFC antenna aimed at today’s slimmer smartphones has been introduced by Premo... More
Abracon offers NFC antennas
A range of “peel and stick” NFC antennas has been introduced by component supplier Abracon... More
Broadcom introduces low cost, low power NFC chips for smartphones and wearables
Chip maker Broadcom has unveiled a new generation of NFC controllers that reduce power consumption by 60%, lower the total cost for device manufacturers by 35% and cut antenna size by 50% — making them practical for use in both NFC phones and wearables... More
Gemalto to offer Felica microSDs
Sony and Gemalto are working together to add Sony FeliCa and NFC functionality to Gemalto microSD cards... More
NFC Forum and SDA to promote NFC in memory cards
The SD Association (SDA), the organisation responsible for setting memory card standards, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the NFC Forum “to jointly educate the market and help build the ecosystem for NFC among users of smartSD memory cards”... More
Apple patent combines NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi for mobile payments
A newly published Apple patent application uses a secure element in a mobile phone to store cardholder data, NFC to initiate a transaction and Bluetooth or WiFi to complete the processing of a transaction and return coupons and other information to the customer’s device... More
French firm sues HTC and LG for NFC patent infringement
Intellectual property commercialisation firm France Brevets has filed patent infringement lawsuits against phone makers HTC and LG in the US and Germany, for using two NFC patents that were granted to Inside Secure in 2004 and 2010... More
Swissbit adds NFC microSD card
Data storage manufacturer Swissbit has introduced the PS 100u CL, a microSD card containing a secure element... More
NXP adds ESD protection for NFC phone antennas
NXP Semiconductors has announced a new series of diodes designed to protect NFC antennas and controllers in mobile devices against damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD)... More
EMI Tape offers ferrite sheet
Korean tape and shielding materials maker EMI Tape has launched a range of flexible ferrite sheets for use in NFC and wireless power charging products... More