Report: Apple's bigger 'iPhone 6' to feature NFC chip for mobile payments
Apple’s upcoming “iPhone 6,” which the company will unveil at a recently announced special event scheduled for Sept. 9, is expected to support near field communication (NFC) according to a recent report.
The news comes from the Financial Times, which explains that the NFC chip will be provided by NXP Semiconductors – a company based in the Netherlands. The report also surfaced online after a post from well-connected Apple blogger John Gruber hinted that NFC may indeed make an appearance with Apple’s upcoming “iPhone 6.”
Gruber said:
I’ve been working on a new joke — about NFC and a new secure enclave where you can store your credit cards, so you can pay for things at brick and mortar retail stores just by taking out your iPhone, but only if it’s one of the new iPhones — but no one seems to get my sense of humor.
Follow-up joke: It would be cool, and would make a lot of sense, if the new wearable thing had the same magic payment apparatus.
Earlier this week, a further report also claimed that an NFC chip resides in both Apple’s upcoming 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone handsets.
NFC has long been rumored for Apple’s devices, however up until now the Cupertino, California company has refrained from bringing the technology to its line of smartphones. Of course, NFC should allow iPhone owners to more intuitively use their handset to perform mobile payments; given that Apple is rumored to be developing its own mobile payments system, an NFC-equipped “iPhone 6” makes a lot of sense.
As mentioned, we’re expecting Apple to unveil its “iPhone 6” on Sept. 9.
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