29 June, 2006
category: Contactless, NFC
The NFC Forum, launched in 2004 to promote and advance the use of near field communication technology, and which recently unveiled its technology architecture, laying the foundation for future NFC-enabled products, has now grown to include some 80 organizations.
WAKEFIELD, Mass.–The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association advancing the use of near field communication (NFC) technology, announced that 14 new organizations have joined the Forum as members since February. Launched in 2004, the NFC Forum now includes 80 member organizations and earlier this month unveiled its technology architecture, which will serve as the foundation for interoperable NFC products and services.
Organizations joining the Forum in the past four months include new Associate-level members ALPS Electric Co., Ltd.; ARM; Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.; E-Group (Hungary); KDDI Corporation; MobileLime; OMNIKEY; Oberthur Card Systems; Sprint; SFR; Sirit, Inc.; Strategic Engineering Group (SEG); and Telenor International. The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has also joined the Forum as a non-profit organization.
“Our membership growth is indicative of the heightened interest we see in the activities of the Forum and in the potential of the NFC market,” said NFC Forum Chairman, Christophe Duverne. “This year will be pivotal, as we lay a foundation for market growth that will put NFC capabilities in the hands of a billion consumers worldwide by the end of the decade – the reach predicted by ABI analysts.”
In addition to unveiling its technology architecture, the Forum recently announced the first five Forum specifications, as well as the initial tag formats for which support will be mandatory in NFC Forum-compliant devices. When complete, the NFC Forum’s technology architecture will include specifications that define a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.
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 80 global member organizations 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: MasterCard International, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Microsoft Corp., Nokia, NEC, Renesas Technology, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung, Sony Corporation, Texas Instruments and Visa International.
Explore more developments dealing with the implementation of Near Field Communications, a short-range wireless technology that promises to revolutionize contactless identification, payment, access, and more. Click to visit NFCNews.