“Apple this week put out a call for a test engineer for iPhone hardware,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider. “The company seeks an extremely well qualified candidate, preferably with a Ph.D., who has expertise on a range of subjects. Among the required areas of knowledge is RFID, a type of near-field communications that can be used to wirelessly transmit secure data in close proximity. An NFC chip can be used for a variety of potential activities, including the ability to turn a mobile device, like an iPhone, into an ‘e-wallet’ for retail transactions.”
“The job listing comes as a new rumor this week claimed that Apple is finalizing an e-wallet strategy for this year’s anticipated iPhone 5, as well as the second-generation iPad. Richard Doherty, director of the consulting firm Envisioneering Group, claimed that Apple plans to start its own mobile payment service for use at retail stores as early as mid-2011,” Hughes reports. “The rumored service could rely on a revamped iTunes that would directly handle transactions. It was said that Apple has already built a prototype payment terminal intended for small businesses, and the company may ‘heavily’ subsidize or give away the hardware to retailers to encourage rapid adoption of NFC technology.”
Hughes reports, “For Apple to transform customers’ iTunes accounts into a payment processing service would be a major overhaul, but two more job listings from Apple could hint at those plans. The company is looking to hire at least two people for the position[s] of ‘Manager Global Payment Platforms.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The plot thickens…
