Naratte develops alternative to NFC for contactless mobile payments
20 June, 2011
category: Contactless, NFC
Naratte, a start-up based in Sunnydale, Calif., says it has developed a new downloadable app that enables contactless payments on virtually any mobile phone, regardless of NFC capabilities, reports Technologyreview.com.
Naratte’s technology, dubbed “Zoosh,” works by generating a high, inaudible pitch that creates a secure link with either another Zoosh-enabled phone or a specially equipped reader connected to the store’s payment terminal.
According to Technologyreview.com, a transaction is performed by holding the Zoosh-enabled phone within six inches of a reader or another Zoosh phone, which prompts the phone to produce an ultrasonic pitch containing an encoded ID token. The user can make debit or credit transactions once the token is recognized and access to the terminal is granted.
All that is required to use the app is a speaker and a microphone, which every phone already contains, says Naratte. Even very basic phones that can’t runs apps can use the technology, since the system can be accessed using text messages with embedded audio files.
According to Technologyreview.com, Zoosh will be introduced in thousands of small stores and cafes this fall. The first application of Zoosh will be in a loyalty program created by fellow startup Sparkbase.
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