Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 6 at it’s upcoming September 9th event on Tuesday. The event is set to focus mainly on NFC and its new mobile payments system. A report (via 9to5Mac) claims that Tim Cook and Co. will be updating its in-store iBeacon technology along with its NFC receivers.
iBeacon is useful for retail stores to help provide sales information. The technology is also used to give accurate location data while in-doors. The upgrades are said to be updating the technology to incorporate NFC capabilities. Per the report, if Apple can accurately figure out your location within their store, it can connect to the customers iPhone for secure mobile payments. A lot of speculation claims both the next generation iPhone and the unannounced wearable will implement this technology.
Major retail partners such as McDonalds and Disney are said to be updating their iBeacons to provide these required technologies in the near future.
Sources at Disney are claiming that they are updating all of their credit card machines to support NFC. It’s unconfirmed if this update has anything to do with Apple or the upcoming iPhone 6 launch. But with Apple’s close relationship with Disney, this is anything but a coincidence.
NFC has yet to become popular in the United States. Though other countries such as the UK have widely adopted this technology into major banks. They also have NFC based debit cards.
With Touch ID in iOS 8, 800 million iTunes accounts, and Passbook already in place, Apple shouldn’t have an issue with implementing NFC in their next generation iPhone. With NFC Apple could potentially have a solid solution for mobile payments.
Are you excited for NFC? Or do you not care for it? Let us know in the comments section below.
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