This was something I was hoping would be in the 3GS. Rumor: Next generation iPhone to be RFID enabled:
A highly reliable source has informed me that Apple has built some prototypes of the next gen iPhone with an RFID reader built in and they have seen it in action. So its not full NFC but its a start for real service discovery and I’m told that the reaction was very positive that we can expect this in the next gen iPhone.
If Apple does it, expect every phone manufacturer and their sister to begin pumping out NFC enabled phones, at least for service discovery and sync.
This just reinforces what we knew based on the two separate patents Apple submitted that had the iPhone enabled to read RFID tags. I’m told that the touch project video and the BT SIG’s specs were all driving forces to push this forward as well as other factors.
Guess I’ll be touching my iPhone to my Mac to link them together to sync iTunes by next year.
My thoughts:
- this will be a game changer for RFID, bringing applications down to the small business and hobbyist layer
- RFID + applications is a wicked combination, making the mobile phone an Anything Device; Microsoft, Motorola and RIM should all try to get the jump on this
- RFID + in app purchase is a wicked combination; put your thinking cap on for this one
- RFID + Augmented Reality makes context sensitive layers start popping up
- I’m not a game person, but you know there’s got to be gaming implications for this
- what are the implications for big chains — groceries, consumer electronics — when anyone can walk in the door and get a better price buy waving their phone at a shelf