Nokia passes on mobile wallet for C7 and C9
22 July, 2011
category: NFC
Nokia’s new C7 and C9 handsets will be equipped with NFC chips, but will not have the technology necessary to support mobile payments, according to Recombu.com.
Neither handset will feature an embedded secure element with payment capabilities or support for the Single Wire Protocol (SWP), says Recombu. The SWP is the specification for a single-wire connection between the SIM card, which would contain payment technology provided by the operator, and an NFC chip.
Instead, Nokia is focusing on the connectivity aspect of the technology, meaning users will be able to read NFC tags and posters, swap data and pair devices (i.e., link the phone wirelessly with a stereo, for example).
According to Rupert Englander, Nokia’s head of services, sales and marketing in the UK and Ireland, the company feels that the mobile wallet is still 12 to 18 months away from becoming a reality. Englander hinted to NFC World that Nokia would wait until certain restrictions, like limited points of sale and operator subscription issues, were resolved.
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