Apple to add digital key sharing to iOS

Apple is to add a feature to iOS 16 that will enable iPhone users to securely share NFC digital car, house, workplace and hotel room keys held in Wallet with colleagues, friends and family via messaging apps such as Messages, Mail and WhatsApp... More



Linxens opens NFCW Expo showcase

NFCW Expo and Linxens logos

EXHIBITOR NEWS: Smartcard microconnector, inlay and antenna leader Linxens has opened a booth in the NFCW Expo, showcasing its latest contactless card innovations and providing readers with an easy way to connect with the company to learn more about its products and services... More



Marriott to let Chinese guests use face recognition to check in to its hotels

Joint venture of Alibaba Group and Marriott International trials facial recognition check-in technology — Marriott International — “The pilot will kick off from July 2018 at two Marriott International properties in China — Hangzhou Marriott Hotel Qianjiang and Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay, with the goal of global rollout across Marriott International’s properties in the future… Chinese guests simply need to scan their IDs, take a photo and input contact details on a self-help machine. The intelligent device will then dispense room key cards after identities and booking information are verified.”


NFC World

Car manufacturers back NFC for digital keys

Car Connectivity Consortium announces publication of the Digital Key Release 1.0 Specification, delivering to the industry a standardized smartphone as a car key solution — Car Connectivity Consortium — “The Release 1.0 specification provides a generalized deployment method that allows vehicle OEMs to securely transfer a digital key implementation to a smart device, using an existing Trusted Service Manager (TSM) infrastructure. By leveraging NFC distance bounding and a direct link to the secure element of the device, CCC is assuring the highest state-of-the-art security level for vehicle access.”



What's New in Payments

Seat tests grocery deliveries direct to customers’ cars

Seat and Saba present Droppit, the app that delivers your grocery shopping directly to your parked car — Seat — “The six-month pilot test of this project, in collaboration with virtual supermarket Deliberry and courier company Glovo, will be carried out in two car parks managed by Saba in the city of Barcelona… The customer leaves their car keys with Saba staff, who are responsible for accompanying the delivery person, identifying the car and placing the order in it. In the future, the aim is to make the process easier using technology that enables the service providers to access cars using fingerprint recognition supported by the app itself.”


What's New in Payments

JD.com to deliver online orders direct to Chinese consumers’ cars

JD.com, electric car maker Nio partner on ecommerce delivery-to-vehicle service — Marbridge Daily — “JD.com’s self-operated logistics service JD Logistics and Nio are in the process of connecting their systems so that consumers will be able to select ‘delivery to vehicle’ when purchasing goods through JD.com. Using the vehicle’s location, an authorized delivery agent will deliver the package within a given time window to the recipient’s trunk, which will be accessed via keyless entry.”


What's New in Payments

White paper sets out how fashion brands can add payments, loyalty, ticketing and more to wearable devices

Covershot: "Enabling the future of wearables: Making payments a seamless experience"

Fashion brands looking to include payments capabilities in their wearable devices need solutions that are pre-certified, inexpensive, easy to implement and offer the wearer the ability to quickly and easily add their choice of payment, transit, loyalty and identity cards throughout the lifetime of their watch or fashion accessory, wearables platform provider Fidesmo explains in a new white paper which is now available to download free of charge from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More


NFC World

Amazon Key to let delivery drivers and service providers into homes

Introducing Amazon Key, a new level of delivery convenience for Prime members — Amazon — “Available initially in 37 cities across the United States, Amazon’s innovative new service enables in-home delivery at no extra cost. Amazon Key also allows customers to grant secure home access for guests and, coming soon, tens of thousands of service providers, such as Merry Maids, Rover and professional services from Amazon Home Services. Amazon Key includes the Amazon Key app, a smart lock and the company’s newest device, Amazon Cloud Cam, an intelligent indoor security camera.”


BMW ‘is reviewing the necessity of car keys’

BMW says car keys may be replaced by mobile phone apps — Reuters — “BMW is reviewing the necessity of car keys, Ian Robertson, the company’s board member responsible for sales told Reuters. The fact that customers now all carry a smartphone and the availability of a BMW app which allows customers to unlock their vehicle has made old fashioned keys less relevant.”



A biometric ring could replace your passwords, cards and keys

A biometric ring could replace your passwords, cards and keys — Engadget — “With a fingerprint sensor on the inside, it can confirm that you’re the authorized user. Then, you slide on the ring, and an onboard IR optical sensor makes sure the device is still on your finger. As long as you have not taken it off, you can authorize transactions with a tap of your hand… Token transmits the authentication signal over NFC in most situations.”



Car makers back NFC and Bluetooth for digital keys

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) has outlined how technologies such as NFC and Bluetooth can be used for digital car keys in a white paper discussing its Digital Key project — a standardisation effort for digital key adoption... More



NFC World

Carnival unveils NFC and BLE wearable for cruise ship passengers

Ocean Medallion

Holidaymakers aboard Carnival Corporation cruise ships will soon be given an NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) enabled wearable device, designed by the man behind Disney’s MagicBand, that will let them access a range of next generation services including boarding without checking in, unlocking rooms, accessing personalised entertainment, ordering food and making payments. More


NFC World

STMicroelectronics to use NFC assets acquired from AMS to deliver next-generation solutions

STMicroelectronics

PARTNER NEWS: STMicroelectronics (ST) will use its July acquisition of NFC and RFID products, resources, technologies and intellectual property from AMS to create a new generation of high-performance NFC solutions for both mass-market and vertical-market applications, the company’s Sylvain Fidelis and Mark Dickson have told NFC World... More


Korea gets BioCA facial recognition solution

A facial biometric authentication service for money transfers has been launched by Korea International Trade Association subsidiary Korea Trade Network (KTNET), in collaboration with biometrics provider Daon and the Korea Smart Authentication Corporation... More