GSMA colludes with Mobile Network Operators over NFC mobile wallets

Posted by Seth Planck

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GSMA colludes with Mobile Network Operators over NFC mobile wallets, they will lose the battle for control

The GSMA has released a document called the “NFC Handset APIs & Requirements”, which outlines their mandate to member mobile network operators globally on how NFC USIMs or UICC-based NFC services and secure elements should be treated. We were told by a GSMA executive at WIMA that the GSMA are always being accused of being an inside club for the mobile network operator community with little interest in consumer related issues, and this new document does little to dissuade anyone that this isn’t true. We feel aspects of the GSMA are in the interests of consumers and in favor of education, but there are certainly facets and elements that are not.

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Galaxy Nexus NFC phone set to hit Verizon for $199 on 8th December?

Posted by Seth Planck

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Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone set to hit Verizon for $199 on 8th December?

When the Galaxy Nexus NFC smartphone is going to be released and for how much has been a mystery. However, recent leaks may have finally found the answers to those questions. The much anticipated NFC smartphone was caught on a flash ad that was released early by mistake, and it showed the Galaxy Nexus priced at $199.99 on a two year contract. That ad was seen on Android Police, Phandroid and Droid Forums. It was also reported by Engadget, which suggests it’s a little more definite than a simple anomaly. That same ad linked to a page that was unavailable and the URL and the title to that page contained a date of the 29th of November, which we think may be when the Ice Cream Sandwich NFC smartphone may be given its official release date.

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Apple adds even more NFC patents to its chest for payments and retail

Posted by Seth Planck

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Apple adds even more NFC patents to its chest for payments and retail transactions

Apple has a plethora of patents relating to NFC and today adds another couple to the mix. The iPhone 4S arrived sans NFC, but Apple continues to pick up near field communication patents that relate to payments and retail experiences. It is almost a foregone conclusion that Apple will enter the NFC arena this next year. In fact, we have been tipped by a trusted source that Apple will in fact launch an iPhone 5 with NFC, and that the only reason we didn’t see it this last year was due to manufacturing problems that had nothing to do with NFC. However, that’s not really news at this point. In the world of tech that increasingly relies on patents for income possibilities, Apple has just scooped more power for its NFC war chest.

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Nokia N9 launching in Australia on three mobile networks this October

Posted by Seth Planck

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Nokia N9 NFC phone launching in Australia on three mobile networks this October

Australia is going to get the Nokia N9 NFC phone next month (October) on three – count them, three – mobile network operators. Optus, Telsta and Vodafone have all signed up to bring another NFC phone down under. The Nokia N9 was denied the option of heading to the States, the UK and Germany but Australia has got lucky and will receive its Nokia N9 slabs of MeeGo goodness next month and Nokia has even put up a page to let you sign up to find out the exact date it will be in your area. The old Nokia is in its death throws before it shuts up shop and reopens as a Windows Phone only house, but the gang from Espoo want to go out with a bang and the Nokia N9 definitely qualifies in that arena of quirky coolness.

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BlackBerry Torch 9850 NFC phone aka Monaco Photo and Sprint Release Date

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BlackBerry Torch 9850 NFC phone aka Monaco Photo and Sprint Release Date

BlackBerry Torch 9850 NFC phone heading to Sprint August 21st. It’s not as if we haven’t seen the BlackBerry Torch 9850 NFC phone, which is also known as the Monaco, before but today we see a press shot of the phone sporting Sprint colors and get a more iron clad release date. If you are seeing this NFC phone for the first time, know that the BlackBerry Torch 9850 is the CDMA version of the upcoming 9860 (known as the Monza) which is its GSM counterpart. This phone has churned a few times around the rumor mill, but those rumors have been getting louder and today we see a “leaked” render of the phone donning a Sprint screen in readiness for launch. That launch is now highly rumored and agreed upon to happen on August 21st. In short order after that release, we expect to see the phone make an appearance on US Cellular also.

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