iPhone rumors: Fingerprint and NFC in next handset
14 March, 2013
category: Government, NFC
Apple’s upcoming iPhone is rumored to introduce a fingerprint reader and near-field communication chip for mobile payments. The fingerprint reader will add security for users, protecting their iPhone’s information for NFC sharing and payments, according to a report on gottabemobile.com.
More retailers are adopting NFC payments, so the rumor about Apple introducing mobile payments is not far-fetched. A chip in the device will store and transmit payment information at checkout. Security measures must be improved if the device transmits important information, which reflects the rumor that iPhone will have a fingerprint reader.
The next iPhone will focus on security, compared to iPhone 4S’s Siri. Biometric authentication under, or built into, the Home button has been in the works since before the release of the iPhone 5. With advanced security, consumers can feel comfortable using their iPhones’ NFC to make payments at checkout.
“Apple’s $356 million Authentec purchase in 2012 set the company up for a more secure iPhone 5S. Authentec was best known for mobile biometric security before the Apple purchase,” explains Josh Smith, journalist at Gotta Be Mobile. Smith goes on to suggest that iPhone 5S will come in different colors, repositions their camera, and may have wireless charging.