Friday, August 16, 2013

Apple patent that allows users to gift apps and media with NFC


iPhone NFC patent
Credit: Apple/USPO #20130211971
For many years, Apple has expressed strong opinion of it not being interested in NFC (Near Field Communication) techniques. The marketing officer, Phil Schiller, has several time said that the Passbook app is a worthy replacement for NFC, something which many strongly disagree with. Today, Apple iPhones are the only high-end phones on the market without any support of NFC.


A recently published patent application by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) entitled, Media Gifting Devices and Methods, with application number, 20130211971, reveals that Apple may be conducting research of NFC after all. The new patent apparently is meant to protect means to transfer apps and media between two iPhones using NFC. In particular, the ability to gift the apps and media to another iOS device is highlighted.

While the specifics in the patent may not be very interesting as iTune Gift Cards already can be used through several different channels, the fact that Apple is definitely playing around and exploring NFC is, however, very interesting. Hopefully, this also means that Apple will implement NFC in their future devices as after all, uses for NFC do increase in popularity in our society today.


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