iPad 2 and iPhone 5 to get NFC

Posted on 25 Jan 2011 at 11:31

Apple's plans to add near-field communication - NFC - technology to the iPhone 5 and iPad 2 have been all but confirmed, with engineers working on the next-generation devices leaking the information to analysts.

According to analyst Richard Doherty, speaking to BusinessWeek, the next-generation iPad 2 and iPhone 5 will both include the hardware required to use NFC technology - taking a leaf from Google's book, which introduced NFC capabilities with its latest Android smartphone, the Samsung-manufactured Nexus S.

Near-field communications technology, or NFC, is a short-range radio system that allows compatible devices to transmit or receive data from a distance of around four inches. Many in the industry believe that NFC will power the future of mobile payments - envisioning a world where small transactions such as paying for a coffee or buying a train ticket are processed by waving your smartphone at a reader, rather than having to dig out your wallet.

Although previous attempts at using mobile phones as micropayment systems haven't taken off, the convenience of an NFC powered payment gateway could mean that 2011 is the year that the technology reaches critical mass.

Although unconfirmed by Apple, Doherty also cites engineers working on the projects as claiming that both the iPhone 5 and iPad 2 will launch this year, meaning there isn't long to wait to see if the NFC rumours are true.

Author: Gareth Halfacree

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