ZTE to make NFC featured handsets using
NXP Semiconductor's chips and tech
NXP has announced that ZTE is incorporating NXP's Near
Field Communications (NFC) PN544 technology in its new line
of global smartphones and feature phones, such as the Android-based
QSC6270 platform devices. ZTE handsets with NFC are said
to be available in Q2 2011. NXP has recently brings the
wallet inside the phone and allows secure transactions such
as payment, transportation and physical access.
NXP Semiconductor recently announced a strategic collaboration
with Google to provide a complete open source software stack
for Near Field Communications (NFC). The NFC stack will
be fully integrated and validated on Gingerbread, says NXP.
The Android version 2.3.3 to incorporate extended Near Field
Communication (NFC) functionality to support extended tag
read capabilities, tag write capabilities and peer-to-peer
exchange, enabling developers to bring new and compelling
NFC applications to the consumer.
NFC-enabled phones offers consumers applications such as
secure payment-on-the-go, mobile transactions and convenient
access public transport.
"We have seen enormous growth in our year-on-year
handset shipments in Europe and the US and selected NXP
as our partner because they are the market leader and their
solution enabled us to reliably go to market in record time,"
said Mr. Zeng Zhaoxiang, vice president, ZTE. "Consumers
are ready for NFC, and we look forward to leveraging NXP's
expertise in the market."
"NXP is excited to be working with ZTE to enable new
customer experiences through secure mobile transactions.
We are delivering on our promise to bring NFC to consumers
through the latest innovative applications including electronic
wallet, automotive keyless entry and ticketless transport
applications while providing convenience and best-in-class
security to a world that is merging, converging and evolving,"
said Ruediger Stroh, executive vice president and general
manager, Identification Business, NXP Semiconductors. "Our
focus is to make secure connectivity easy by working closely
with partners like ZTE and across the ecosystem to optimize
each design via the use of NFC and the appropriate embedded
secure element."
NXP says NFC and its associated secure element offers consumers
a high level of convenience, interactivity and security
with their mobile devices, and further enhances their smartphone
experiences by linking the virtual world of applications
with the physical environment. Using natural touch gestures
NFC devices can easily pair with accessories, interact on
a peer-to-peer level to exchange data, and connect to a
huge installed base of reader and tag infrastructures adds
NXP
PN544 is the industry standard NFC controller and is fully
compliant with all released NFC specifications on the Single
Wire Protocol (SWP) connection with the SIM and the Host
Controller Interface (HCI).
NXP Semiconductor has also announced the full validation
of a joint software solution offering secure interfaces
between the handset, NFC functionality and secure elements
such as the SIM card. This solution enables NFC to be integrated
securely into mobile handsets based on the Android platform
and other operating systems. In addition, the validated
software will meet the needs of mobile network operators
who are specifically demanding secure elements within the
handset.
The availability of an integrated secure NFC software solution
for mobile services, such as mobile payment and mobile ticketing
is based on the integration of NXP's NFC controllers in
mobile handsets with G&D's secure software solutions.
One good NFC application example NXP shared is, using NFC
consumers can open their car in the morning by presenting
their NFC enabled phone to the door, triggering an authentication
cycle between the phone's secure element and the car. The
car will give the driver a personal welcome message, set
their comfort preferences and then by simply placing the
phone in a dock on the dashboard, it becomes part of the
on-board entertainment and communication system, presenting
a selection of personal music choices, facilitating audio
streaming and setting up hands free calling. The secure
mobile device can also disarm the engine immobilizer and
allow the engine to start and the NFC phone is able to receive
important diagnostic data such as fuel consumption, mileage
and service data to be viewed away from the car at a later
time. Using GPS the location coordinates of the car can
also be sent to the phone via NFC, enabling consumers to
easily locate their vehicles in a new city or large parking
lot. Example here is car, but the devices and the type of
transaction is applicable to many other ID and access applications
through a NFC integrated handheld device.
