Bluetooth will authenticate users to handsets
27 August, 2014
category: Corporate, Digital ID, NFC
First there was the “Skip” and then came the “digital tattoo” and now there is another device coming to market in the key fob form factor. The major difference – other than form factor – is that this latest entry to the market will use Bluetooth Low Energy for instead of near field communication.
Motorola has also called this latest product “Skip,” but it has more functionality than the first iteration, according to a report on Droid Life. The first application is similar to the first generation Skip. If the fob is in range of the handset the owner won’t have to enter a PIN or pattern to unlock the handset. If the Skip is out of range of the handset it will also automatically lock.
The fob can also be used to find an owner’s keys, if it’s attached it to a key ring. Using a companion app on the phone that pairs to the Skip via Bluetooth, a user can touch a button that will make the Skip beep or even bring up its last known location via map. The new Skip can also be used to find the handset through a double tap on the Skip’s button.
No pricing was available for the new device and it’s expected to be released when the new Motorola handsets are announced in September.
