New smartSD cards feature single wire protocol for NFC
06 June, 2013
category: Digital ID, NFC
A new solution from the SD Association is adding Single Wire Protocol (SWP) to support Near Field Communications, adding a Secure Element to the microSD memory card.
The new “smartSD” card supports authentication services and shifts control of consumer service applications from the service provider to the consumer. The smartSD is fully compatible with all slotted smart phones, tablets, computers and similar consumer electronic devices.
The SD Association revealed that the new NFC-enabled smartSD cards will be manufactured in the SD, SDHC and SDXC form factor capacities. The memory cards will be made available for consumers to purchase, or alternatively, be issued by various service providers including banks, credit card companies, retailers, transit providers and governments.
The monitoring of the cards will remain unchanged on the service provider side, as life cycle management of the secure element will use the same business model currently in place for other smart cards and credit cards. Mobile network operators, however, will gain an alternative to bolster their value added services.
By loading additional services onto the NFC-enabled smartSD card, consumer storage space can be streamlined and expanded cutting the number of rewards, transit, bank and library cards that often weigh down our wallets.
“Adding smart‐chip technology to microSD memory cards gives SD equipped smart phones and tablets new consumer conveniences whether they’re connected to the Internet or not,” explains Brian Kumagai, president of the SD Association. “We know consumers want more flexibility to expand their storage needs, and a simple way to participate in a variety of value‐added services offered by a variety of companies and institutions today.”
smartSD cards make possible the transformation of mobile devices into e-wallets, enabling for secure possession of cashless currency and paperless identification for use in secure transactions. By giving consumers the ability to manage their own identity credentials from their own devices consumers benefit from increased control over their own sensitive data. Moreover, because the smardSD cards are only active in the consumer-authorized device, they provide more robust security than cloud‐based solutions.