Apple May Introduce iPhones With More NFC-Based Capabilities

Apple May Introduce iPhones With More Near-Field Communication (NFC) Based Capabilities 

US Smartphone maker Apple is likely to introduce iPhones with more NFC based capabilities. NFC is another form for near-field communication. With Worldwide Developers Conference 2018 (WWDC) set to kick-off on June 4, Apple is likely to announce a change in near-field communication (NFC) policies when it releases its next-generation iOS 12 operating system.

“The change to the near-field communication, or NFC, chip, which is expected to be announced next month, could pave the way for people to use iPhones for other security-sensitive interactions, from paying transit fares and opening car doors to verifying their identity in other ways,” tech website The Information reported late on Friday.

Notably, since Apple first launched NFC-capable devices iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, its implementation of NFC has been primarily restricted to Apple Pay transactions. “Apple employees are already using their iPhones to unlock doors at Apple Park, likely via custom badge readers detailed in Federal Communications Commission filings last year,” the report added. With the new capabilities, iPhones would be able to unlock NFC-enabled doors and potentially transmit data to transit systems, personal authentication devices and more. The iPhone-maker has been slow to evolve its NFC policies since adopting the technology nearly four years ago but the company has made moves to expand its limited feature set over the past year, according to Apple Insider.