An “Apple patent surfacing today reveals a new antenna structure that will combine NFC with Non-NFC communications to the same antenna,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “With Apple recently signing an e-Wallet deal with China UnionPay requiring NFC, Apple’s latest NFC invention may very well be making its way to the iPhone 6.”
“While there’s been some skepticism over Apple ever using NFC, it’s a fact that Apple has many patents on this technology and today a new one has surfaced under patent application number 20140139380,'” Purcher reports. “Apple’s filing states that the ‘antenna structures may be formed at opposing ends of an electronic device. The combining of circuitry may allow the near field communications circuitry and the non-near-field communications circuitry to be coupled to common antenna structures.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
NFC? Apple will not do payments; Apple will do authentication – May 15, 2014
Apple’s next-gen iPhone likely to include NFC payment functionality, source says – May 12, 2014
KGI Securities Kuo: Apple to include NFC in iPhone and iWatch – April 11, 2014
Not For Commerce: As Apple declines support, more retailers drop NFC – March 19, 2014
…. but but but Apple would never use NFC …
I’m not sure why anybody ever thought that? NFC is mainly used for making payment transactions or transportation passes. If Apple were to include NFC in any previously released device it would give their competition an idea of where they might be headed.
In true Apple fashion, they’ll release a device with NFC when they have a platform and backend to support a mobile payment system; iPhone 6 and iOS 8. Using NFC allows them to test and build out slowly by limiting use to one device.
I believe in the next couple of years we’re going to some really interesting and innovative things coming out of Apple. As they continue to add ever more value to their platforms, it’ll just increase the lead they have over the competition.
Still no need for NFC. Transactions could be implemented just as well with Bluetooth 4/LE, and without stupid “bumping” antics.
Longer possible distance is not really safety issue. Millions of people do bank transactions through smartphones that connected to Internet via cellular network that had range of hundreds of meters — without any safety issue at all.
So if Apple will bring NFC, it could be only because of China UnionPay and the likes, if they require it. Otherwise same thing could be much better done via Bluetooth.
It’s not just for making payments. NFC is utilized in the Samsung Galaxy line (as well as most newer Andros devices) to move/transfer pictures, music/video, as well as documents & files by tapping your phone or simply holding it up next to (for about a second) a similarly compatible device with NFC capabilities. My wife & I use this feature almost everyday as I’m a small business owner and it’s a wonderful tool to have. The fact that Apple STILL doesn’t offer this is quite sad actually. I rarely use NFC to make payments, but to seamlessly transfer multiple files (with no file size limit) from one device to another is an amazing feature.
I will call you on that…
NFC communicates at 106kbps standard and a maximum of 424 (this is the max the standard for NFC allows and almost no one implements this.
Your phone might use the NFC capabilities to notice a device and identify itself in order to establish a secure session, but it likely uses Bluetooth and or wifi to communicate
You know what Bluetooth has been used for… Wireless Data transfer between two devices. It’s what it’s good at.
NFC was meant to be used by powered to not powered devices such as a terminal communicating to a chip card wirelessly. If you have two devices that are both powered, there’s way better things to use.
That a Chinese company requests this does not surprise me in the least – they do what they want, how they want, with no regard to any standard or convension. Most of the phones that violate GSM standards are designed in china.
Source: Electrical Engineer in chip card / credit card / SIM development
Apple has been researching and developing NFC use for at least 10 years.
It’s smart to have it as part of the antenna. No big deal yet could allow the iPhone to work with more Paypal payment systems in the market. Why not.
Why file patents. They just tell SS what to do next.
Well at least they have recourse to sue them. If they don’t patent it, Samsung will. Dammed if they do, dammed if they don’t.
Now, if they could just add a second antenna that does AFC, we could get all the games!