The field of NFC is becoming more crowded as Sony Ericsson announces that it will be taking up the cause of near field communications. The tech behemoth will be joining Google, AT&T and Nokia in developing NFC-enabled smart phones that will be released later in the year. The NFC industry is still quite young, but these companies have been laboring to promote the technology they are sure will be the next big thing.
Sony Ericsson’s plans were unveiled via the Times of India publication, in which Steve Walker, global head of marketing, outlined the company’s plans for NFC. Walker notes that mobile payments are just the tip of the iceberg, and that the technology can be used for far more than just mobile commerce. Mobile commerce, however, seems to be the focus of Google and other companies championing NFC. Sony Ericsson will be joining the bandwagon in regards to enabling mobile payments, but that will not be the company’s key focus.
The company will be a part of the NFC Forum, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to expand NFC adoption and facilitate advancement of the technology. The Forum will be responsible for establishing standards for the emerging mobile commerce industry. The standard will serve to ensure that consumers have the best possible experience when delving into the world of mobile payments.
Sony Ericsson’s plans are still somewhat vague, but the company has high hopes for NFC technology and plans to use it for more than just phones in the future.
