The Near Field Communications Forum, or NFC Forum, has just announced 32 new members, which includes Google. No surprises with the search giant joining the forum – after all, the first Android handset to come built with NFC capabilities is Google’s own Nexus S, which is made by Samsung.
NFC seems to be really taking off this year, and more manufacturers and merchants are looking to adopt the technology to simplify payments for users. But it’s not just about making it easier for us by having our wallets in our phones, either. NFC is poised to be a pretty big business for credit card companies, technology manufacturers and perhaps even merchants.
For additional details , see the press release below.
Near Field Communication Forum Announces 32 New Members
CSR, Google, and Intel Become Principal Members
WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA – March 31, 2011 – The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced that Google, Inc. is joining the organization as a Principal member. CSR and Intel, formerly Associate Members, have raised their membership status to the Principal level. Since its founding in 2004, the NFC Forum has drawn market-leading organizations from around the world to its membership roster as momentum builds for the adoption and implementation of Near Field Communication technology.
Principal membership is the second-highest level of membership in the NFC Forum, with each Principal member entitled to appoint a voting representative to each of the Technical, Marketing, and Compliance Committees and Working Groups. Principal members may designate individuals to run for positions leading Committees or Working Groups, and they may propose initiatives and contribute to the development of Forum deliverables. As Principal members, organizations may also participate in the NFC Forum testing and certification program using their own in-house test labs.
The NFC Forum has also welcomed 31 new Associate, Implementer, and Non-Profit members from across the NFC ecosystem. New Associate members include: A&D Company, Limited; AQ Corporation; China Telecommunication Technology Labs; Communications Global Certification Inc.; Daimler AG; FIME; Hitachi, Ltd.; ICT Korea, Inc.; Kovio, Inc.; KTC (Korea Testing Certification); National IT Industry Promotion Agency RFID/USN Center; Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG; SK C&C USA; SOLIATIS; Sporton International, Inc.; TA Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; TTA; and VI Service Network Co., Ltd. Joining recently as Implementer members were: 3A Logics Co., Ltd.; DeviceFidelity, Inc.; HOTech; i-Free; MagTek, Inc.; MStar Semiconductor, Inc.; MtekVision Co., Ltd.; Poken S.A.; Sysnet Group; TUOMI IT S.A.; Via Licensing Corporation; and Waldemar Winckel GmbH & Co. KG. LOGyCA joined as a Non-Profit member.
“The NFC Forum thrives on the active participation of global industry leaders and innovators such as CSR, Google, and Intel,” said Koichi Tagawa, chairman of the NFC Forum. “Their energy, ideas, and influence will greatly enhance the work of the Forum, as will the support of our new Associate, Implementer, and Non-Profit members from around the world.”
About Near Field Communication Technology
NFC technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.
A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today’s diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as access control, consumer electronics, healthcare, information collection and exchange, loyalty and coupons, payments, and transport.
NFC technology is supported by the world’s leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.
About the NFC Forum
The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum’s mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum’s 135 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.
The NFC Forum’s Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Broadcom Corporation, INSIDE Secure, MasterCard Worldwide, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.