RFID Readers to Equip Next Generation iPhone?

10th November, 2009 by adina
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According to near Field Communications World, Apple is working on iPhone prototypes integrating RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) readers. This technology is supposed to be used in the next generation of iPhones. To create a true digital home, Apple claims that devices like computers and Apple TV need to communicate with each other. In order to communicate, they must be able to discover each other and even before that, they have to sense each other, as Apple said. An early 2006 patent furnished details on how devices might use RFID tags to establish connections with a wireless home network without configuration. A 2007 patent relates to a “Touch Screen RFID Tag Reader” and describes a way of building RFID circuits into a touch sensor. Apple’s patents related to RFID readers refer to embedding such a device within the phone’s touchscreen, allowing the user to scan tags by simply bringing the phone closer to the object. At present, RFID technology is present in everyday items such as passports, driving licenses, credit cards, and can also be used to track herds of animals. The patent also includes methods for using the iPod or iPhone as a tag and enabling the authentication with some other devices.

The patent claims that iPhones use RFID readers for the discovery of services, using methods for configuring networking settings and Wi-Fi by using the tag information. Automatic configuration of network and authentication settings, without manual involvement of the user would be possible by scanning tags with the iPhone in proximity of a Mac or AirPort base station.


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Readers Comments

  1. RFID SIM says:
    November 23, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    I think everything is going to move in this direction. Since most phones are equipped with a SIM card it helps make the RFID signal secure.