US telecoms firm AT&T is to use technology from CorFire to power NFC Connect, a new platform that will enable it to offer a wide range of NFC services outside of the Isis mobile commerce venture it co-owns with Verizon and T-Mobile... More
Marketing
Hawaii gets iBeacon happy hours
Happy Hour Pal, a Honolulu-based startup that lets businesses promote special offers to users of its mobile app, is using Bluetooth LE beacons and Apple’s iBeacon service to push happy hour offers to consumers, Pacific Business News reports... More
Watch Dogs gets NFC promo
Games publisher Ubisoft is promoting its latest title with a ‘tap to play’ competition in UK video game stores... More
Top London shopping street installs beacons in 100 stores
One hundred retailers with stores on London’s upmarket Regent Street, one of the city’s busiest shopping locations, have installed Bluetooth Low Energy beacons that trigger personalized offers and communications for shoppers who have downloaded a mobile app developed by landowner The Crown Estate... More
GE lets retailers send offers to shoppers via LED lighting
GE Lighting and US startup Bytelight have unveiled a marketing platform that lets merchants use LED lighting installed in and around their stores to send offers, directions to particular products and information services to shoppers, based on their precise location within a retail store... More
Meadowhall shopping centre provides special offers via Bluetooth LE
Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, UK is to use iBeacon technology to gamify a shopping event, with brands providing offers, discounts, pampering freebies and prize giveaways. Participating retailers include Krispy Kreme, Hotel Chocolat, Cath Kidston and House of Fraser. More
John Lewis backs tech startups
Upmarket UK department store chain John Lewis has chosen iBeacon, smart label and in-store digital engagement start-up firms to join JLAB, its first technology business incubator... More
Groupon lets merchants redeem vouchers via BLE
Prepaid voucher provider Groupon has launched an iPad-based point-of-sale terminal that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to let merchants “instantly recognize their Groupon customers as they enter their business, seamlessly redeem Groupons and save time and money.”... More
Yoyo raises US$5m for mobile payments at universities
UK-based mobile payments, loyalty and rewards startup Yoyo has raised US$5m to expand its service... More
US sports venues to get interactive displays
Sports venue display provider Access Sports Media is to use Blue Bite’s mTag platform to add NFC, QR, SMS and geofencing capabilities to its more than 20,000 displays in 200 US sports venues... More
Bertolli runs NFC marketing campaign in US stores
Bertolli Olive Oil is to use News America Marketing and Thinaire‘s SmartSource with NFC service to deliver recipes, videos and ingredients lists to shoppers while they are in the relevant aisle of a supermarket... More
Yapital expands mobile payments to advertising media
Retailer-owned mobile payments provider Yapital is to add “one click” purchases from printed advertising media to its app, enabling shoppers to order and pay for promoted products by scanning QR codes in merchants’ billboard and newspaper ads, flyers and shop window decals... More
Waitrose tests iBeacons
Upmarket UK supermarket chain Waitrose is working on a new app that will use Bluetooth LE beacons to welcome customers to its stores and push promotional messages to shoppers... More
Introducing NFC World+, the new way to keep up to date with the mobile transaction revolution
Starting today, NFC World has a new name and a new mission — to report on the full array of emerging technologies that are transforming how consumers choose what to buy, who to buy from, and how to pay... More
Warner Music distributes NFC guitar picks to fans
Fans attending gigs by Warner Music act The Wild Feathers have been provided with guitar picks containing an NFC tag... More
Total Produce pushes fruit and veg with NFC in supermarkets
International fresh produce distributor Total Produce is to provide consumers with access to videos, recipes, interactive games and content about the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet via NFC tag and QR code-equipped SmartStands located in supermarkets and convenience stores... More
Flypay raises £1m to develop NFC and QR based restaurant payment app
Flypay has raised £1 million from mobile payment specialist Entree Capital to further develop its restaurant-based mobile payment app, which uses NFC and QR codes to enable consumers to pay at their table at participating restaurants including UK-based chains Wahaca and Burrito Mama... More
Aldi recruits graduates with NFC campaign at universities
Discount supermarket chain Aldi has launched an NFC marketing campaign at nine UK universities, with the goal of inspiring students to apply for the company’s graduate scheme... More
Delage to include NFC chips in premium leather bags
French leather goods brand Delage has partnered with NFC object identification specialist Selinko to integrate NFC tags into its range of premium leather bags... More
UK retailer Argos pilots NFC marketing in 40 UK stores
UK retail chain Argos is conducting an NFC pilot in 40 of its stores, enabling shoppers to tap their NFC smartphones to engage with store staff wearing NFC-enabled lanyards and have the latest offers sent to their device... More