“Apple bought AuthenTec Inc., a maker of fingerprint sensors and security solutions, for $356 million, a move analysts say that helps turn iPhones and iPads into more secure devices for mobile payments,” Connie Guglielmo reports for Forbes.
“With $117.2 billion in cash, Apple’s outlay for AuthenTec is very small change. What it gets, in addition to 217 employees, is technology and patents from a company that says it ‘owns many of the foundational technology patents from the fingerprint biometric industry, and today has a broad IP and patent portfolio consisting of nearly 200 issued and filed U.S. patents, as well as additional foreign patent derivatives,'” Guglielmo reports.
Guglielmo reports, “Brian White, an analyst with Topeka Capital Markets, says the deal not only suggests Apple hardware with fingerprint access , but also a mobile commerce system built using the Near Field Communications (NFC) technology he predicts will be included in the new iPhone 5.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Judge Bork” for the heads up.]
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Apple to buy AuthenTec for $356 million – July 27, 2012
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Apple’s iWallet: The one that will rule the world – March 21, 2012
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Apple wins major U.S. ‘iWallet’ patent; the one that may one day ‘rule the world’ – March 6, 2012
Apple invents ingenious security system for the iWallet era – January 9, 2012
Apple patent app describes future iOS devices communicating with parking meters, doors, cash registers and much more – September 22, 2011
Now that’s how to do mobile payments. Screw NFC, there are lots of ways to have a phone talk with a POS (Bluetooth, Internet).
It’s all about location, and making sure the dude holding the phone is the owner of the phone/account.
Googely-Elmo says patents are coooooool! Yaaaaaaaay!
(sorry…couldn’t resist after sounding this guy’s name out…)