Apple secures NFC like technology and related camera patent

[dgstorm]

This week, the US Patent and Trademark Office, published a series of 32 newly awarded patent that Apple was granted. Amongst them, we find an interesting one that deals with an alternative technology for Near Field Communications.

Apparently, this means Apple is looking to invent a new system to embed in mobile device thus allowing it to communicate to a device found nearby. NFC technology is already used by a lot of Android devices that can share information with other gadgets of their kind without necessitating Bluetooth or an active WiFi connection. NFC can also be used to make wireless payments in shops that allow the process.

NFC technology was one of the features Apple was rumored to be implementing in the iPhone 5, but when the device was unraveled it turned out that Cupertino failed to do so, suggesting that the tech giant either doesn’t believe in the technology or as the patent suggest, is looking to create its own.

The technology outlined in the patent works because of the compass output implemented in the devices that detects when another device is in close proximity. It does so by using a magnetic field signature. When the two devices are close enough their magnetic signatures will cause a swift in the compass output giving the green light for communication.

Another one of the granted patents regards camera technologies and is entitled "Using distance/proximity information when applying a point spread function in a portable media device." The patent describes how sharpness and quality of the digital quality of photos taken by portable devices could be increased.

By Radu

Source - Apple Wins Patents for Camera & NFC Alternative Technologies - Patently Apple

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[thewitt]

I doubt very much that Apple will attempt to introduce its own payment technology.

The simple distribution of 1,000,000 payment terminals is in the way...

NFC is the mobile payment solution, and we will see it in the next iPhone. It will be tied to your iTunes account by default and will be contract licensed to services like Touch N Go where Apple will get a very small fee for every transaction processed.

It will be another $1B a year business for Apple.

[Blueshirt]

I doubt very much that Apple will attempt to introduce its own payment technology.

I dunno... Apple do seem to like to do things their way. It doesn't always matter to them what others are doing. If Apple want to try something different out, they will.

If Apple was going to go with NFC then I would have expected to see it incorporated in to the iPhone 5... well, I did expect it actually!

[thewitt]

Payment gateways require technology at the merchants. There are millions of merchants in the world, and today they can do four basic things to process payments.

Swipe or phone in a credit card
Read the embedded chip on a credit card
Read an NFC chip from a card or a smart phone
Read a barcode
Bluetooth 4.0

The first is the most generic, as virtually all merchants cm process credit and debit cards, with and without pin authentication

The second is extremely common outside of the US, with many merchants no longer processing cards if they don't include a chip.

The third is growing at a rate of 87% a year compound growth, with 30,000,000 new NFC terminals shipped in 2011, and an expected density of 700,000,000 units worldwide in 2016, according to the NFC Forum. I have not seen sales figures for 2012, bit I expect them to be in the 60,000,000 range. Many NFC networks exist however, and their integration is key to success, so your Touch N Go reader can accept a Singapore MRT card, and all can accept a smart phone. Apple can make a huge impact by playing a role in the integration of these payment networks.

The last one is typically dedicated to the merchants own payment, discount, or rewards card system.

Bluetooth 4.0 - as many seem to be fond of - is a technology that CAN be used for payments, with virtually no available payment gateways in the hands of merchants today. Estimates are fewer than 1,000,000 gateways sold since 2003, so they are a long way behind NFC.

Should Apple introduce yet another payment option into this mix? I don't think so.

They need to simply enable NFC, Bluetooth and Barcode payments, integrated with your iTunes account and bridging the different payment networks. They don't need to create a new technology.