Arizona-based National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Phoenix Suns are to offer fans access to mobile payments and NFC ticketing from within their mobile app, via a partnership with Ticketmaster, that will see the team move to mobile-only ticketing at its Talking Stick Resort Arena from the start of the 2019/20 season in October... More
iOS
Japanese government to adopt iPhone NFC chip reading for citizen ID
iOS 13 NFC for Japanese Individual Number Cards — Ata Distance — “Individual Number Cards are supported by card readers that require a personal computer and additional software. NFC tag reading with a smartphone is much easier because it can work out of the box and an app. Android phones are supported but limited to select Aquos, Galaxy and Xperia smartphone models. iPhone NFC tag support in iOS 13 will considerably widen the user footprint.”
Apple to let iPhone owners use NFC to read all types of contactless card — except for payments cards
iPhone users will soon be able to read a full array of ISO 7816 contactless smartcards and tags, including passports, transit and access cards, Apple has revealed... More
Confirmed: iOS 13 to include support for NFC passport reading
Apple’s update to its Core NFC framework for iOS 13 will include support for reading passports and ID documents, chip checker app maker Innovalor has confirmed to NFC World... More
Apple includes NFC tag writing in major upgrade to Core NFC framework
Updates to Apple’s Core NFC framework in iOS 13 will make it possible to write to NFC tags from an iPhone for the first time. Support will also be added for a new kind of ‘value added service’ tag and for reading and writing to ISO 7816 smart cards and tags and ISO 15693 (NFC Forum Type 5) vicinity cards and tags. Integration with Siri Shortcuts for single tap, multi-step automated workflows is also being added. More
Antelop unveils mobile-first digital banking and payments platform
PARTNER NEWS: Antelop Solutions has launched an integrated onboarding, authentication and mobile payments platform for Android and iOS devices that lets both traditional and challenger banks combine “best-in-class” end-to-end security with a user friendly, PSD2-compliant, mobile-first consumer experience... More
Octopus equips Hong Kong taxi drivers with NFC payments
Transit card issuer Octopus Cards Limited (OCL) has partnered with Hong Kong Taxi Council (HKTC) to provide local taxi drivers with the ability to use their NFC phone to accept payments for cab rides from Octopus card users... More
Case study: Distillery uses NFC tags to fight counterfeiting and build customer engagement
PARTNER NEWS: Tasmania-based Old Kempton Distillery is using HID Global’s Trusted Tag technology to combat counterfeiting of its whiskies and gins — and to drive personalized and ongoing engagement with customers after they make a purchase... More
Apple details ‘contactless’ Apple Card activation process in iOS 12.3 beta release
Although the physical version of Apple’s new credit card does not include support for contactless transactions, cardholders will be able to activate it by simply placing it in close proximity to their iPhone, code in the latest iOS beta release suggests... More
NFC Forum bridges the gap between QR mobile payments services and NFC devices
The NFC Forum has released a new candidate specification that makes it easy for mobile payments services based on QR codes to add NFC functionality, giving “payment service providers and consumers the opportunity to take advantage of the simple and secure NFC-based payment solutions already in use worldwide.”... More
NXP powers NFC payments in Sony Wena smart watch strap
PARTNER NEWS: Sony’s Wena watch strap, launched in the UK this week and designed to bring smartwatch features to traditional mechanical timepieces, uses NFC hardware and the mWallet 2GO full service mobile wallet platform from NXP to power its contactless payments feature... More
Kroger launches payments, offers and rewards app for iOS and Android
Kroger introduces Kroger Pay and Kroger Rewards debit card — The Kroger Co — “After a customer enters their custom PIN or biometrics, the app provides customers with a single-use QR code to scan at the terminal to quickly communicate payment and loyalty card information, which includes digital coupons and personalized offers… Kroger Pay recently launched in the retailer’s Columbus, Ohio division. The service will roll out to 10 additional markets in the spring, with plans to go nationwide later this year.”
NXP and Identiv announce breakthrough in NFC tag pricing
PARTNER NEWS: A new NFC tag inlay, jointly developed by NXP and Identiv, is now available to order at an “unrivalled” price of US$0.05 per unit, “enabling a new generation of smart products across a wide range of end markets where NFC may have been previously considered price prohibitive.”... More
Swatch brings its contactless payments service to Europe
Fashion watch buyers in Switzerland can now choose from one of a range of four Swatch watches that come with support for SwatchPay... More
Octopus lets Hong Kong commuters use NFC to link their transit card to their mobile phone
Octopus App enhanced with more customer-centric mobile services — Octopus — “Octopus users with compatible Android NFC devices can simply enter their Octopus number into the Octopus app and tap their Octopus onto the back of their mobile phones. Users with iOS devices (or Android devices without NFC) can enter the Octopus number into the Octopus app, then visit any of the 50 Octopus service points that are conveniently located all over Hong Kong to tap their Octopus within seven days to complete the registration and verification process.”
The world’s biggest electronics store uses NFC tags to let shoppers self-checkout on their mobile phones
MediaMarktSaturn, Europe’s largest consumer electronics retailer, is piloting a mobile self-checkout service that lets customers add products to their shopping basket by tapping the NFC tag included in the digital price tags of more than 100,000 products on sale at its Hamburg city centre store... More
EU citizens report bugs in UK government NFC passport reading app
People taking part in the pilot test of an NFC app developed by the UK government to make it easy for EU citizens to apply for settled status following Brexit have reported a number of bugs, including multiple issues related to NFC passport scanning... More
T-Mobile offers mobile banking service that supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
T-Mobile launches mobile banking solution T-Mobile Money, available now on Android and iOS — 9to5Google — “T-Mobile Money hasn’t been officially launched, but was discovered early thanks to its (likely unintended) addition to Google Pay’s list of US banks and credit card companies. Its official website, discovered by Domain Name Wire, went live today and has the full details of the interesting offering.”
Tory Burch unveils smartwatch with NFC payments support
Tory Burch launches its Classic Gigi as the brand’s first touchscreen smartwatch — Tory Burch — “This new piece is a state-of-the-art smartwatch that balances fashion and function with features that include heart-rate tracking, swimproof functionality, payment methods, untethered GPS and more… Powered with Wear OS by Google and Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC, the new ToryTrack Gigi Touchscreen Smartwatch is compatible with both iPhone and Android phones.”
Moooi adds NFC tags to its designer furniture to guarantee authenticity
Upmarket furniture, interior and lighting design brand Moooi is adding an in-house designed high security NFC tag to all its products to provide customers with a guarantee that they are purchasing an official Moooi product rather than a fake... More