Comments on: Report: Apple testing RFID swipe support in iPhone prototypes

By: mysocialbrain: 09-11-2009 : protagonist

mysocialbrain: 09-11-2009 : protagonist — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:23 +0000

[...] Report: Apple testing RFID swipe support in iPhone prototypes i want some of that swiping feeling [...]

By: The Mad Hatter

The Mad Hatter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:24:30 +0000

Apple has already filed patents related to a mobile “ID App” capable of using an RFID sensor, a way to use RFID to sense and connect to available WiFi networks, and a touchscreen RFID tag reader.

If the USPTO issues these patents, they are fools. The law says that the use has to be novel, there is no novelty in this application.

But there is profit. And the USPTO does show a wish to keep the large companies happy.

By: dallasmay

dallasmay — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:39:07 +0000

I have no doubt in my mind that Apple has a few engineers playing with this prototype. This does not mean it will come to market anytime soon. At this point, at best, it is just a conceptual toy for the engineers. Though it is certainly quite interesting, and would be a great leap for Apple to open up a brand new market.

(PS. Did someone once say something about Apple having the Credit Card info for 100,000,000 customers?)

By: Bites from the Apple: The Contender reviews, prices | eOpinions Product reviews

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:18:01 +0000

[...] The next iteration of the iPhone may include RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) technology, which could make enable the iPhone to make payments to store checkouts as well as vending machines among other uses (via Roughly Drafted). [...]

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:36:32 +0000

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by DanielEran: New: Report: Apple testing RFID swipe support in iPhone prototypes – http://tinyurl.com/yk3lv53...

By: gus2000

gus2000 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:21:12 +0000

I’m not clear; is this about the ability of iPhone to read the RFID tags, or to transmit RFID codes? Or both??!?

This sounds very cool…except for the security implications. People (and by “people” I mean “Americans”) are already paranoid about the RDIF tags in the new passports, going so far as to microwave them or whack the embedded chip with hammer. I’m fairly certain that these methods would not be effective for a phone.

Therefore, I think this is great as long as a) it can be disabled, and b) uses DVDJon-proof security.

By: Berend Schotanus

Berend Schotanus — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:03:05 +0000

A really exciting development. The problem with current smartcards is they don’t offer any feedback to their users whatsoever. You just have to trust the external equipment and bet a payment has been made, but hasn’t been made twice.

The field that particularly interests me is public transport. I find the iPhone a very pleasant companion to make transit trips. You are in de San Jose city center and type in Google Maps “Take me to Market Street San Francisco”. And then your iPhone will tell you to take a bus line number you never heard of from a bus stop you’ve never been before in ten minutes time, on top of that it tells you what it costs and you know what…? It really works! Ten minutes later that magical announced bus physically appears.

But the thing is, once you enter the bus you have to find yourself some rumpled one dollar notes to pay the trip and no chance the bus driver can get you any change if you happen not to have the correct amount of money. So if iPhone could make the payment as well, I think that would fit in nicely.