NFC
Royal Bank of Canada has introduced an NFC mobile payments service that stores customers' card details in the cloud. The new RBC Wallet is available to customers with a Samsung Galaxy S III or Samsung Galaxy S4 on the Bell Mobility network, with support for other devices coming this spring.
RBC Wallet users can use the service to make payments at any location in Canada equipped with a Visa PayWave or Interac Flash contactless point-of-sale terminal.
Domestic passengers flying from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports can now download movies, music, apps and books direct to their Android device using Near Field Communication (NFC) and Quick Response (QR) technologies.
Google has integrated the technology into 39 digital advertising screens at the three airports. Passengers simply have to tap their NFC device against the screen or scan the QR code to connect to the Google Play Store. They can then control the digital billboard using their device and download content using the airport’s free Wi-Fi.
Have you ever wanted to wave your hand to unlock a door or transfer your contact information by simply touching a phone? How about keeping all of your top secret passwords at arm's length, literally? Well, with this Kickstarter-funded near field communication-enabled ring, all that could soon be possible.
Google Japan has installed a new type of vending machine in Tokyo, but you won't be buying coffee or Coke from these boxes. Instead, they sell Android apps.
The vending machines work for Android 4.0 smartphones that have NFC capabilities. The touchscreen displays the 18 different gaming apps (both free and paid) the machine is promoting. Acquiring one of them is as easy as dropping your phone on a tray.
Apple iPhone 5C
Maybe this wasn't a surprise: Apple announced the new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on Tuesday, but neither comes equipped with an NFC chip inside.
Instead, Apple has opted for a unique new fingerprint sensor, the Touch ID, which allows a simple touch of a finger to unlock the phone or to make purchases from the App Store and the iTunes and iBooks retail sites. It's faster than typing a password.