TeknologikL

NFC (Near Field Communication) has been written about before here on CR4. It provides some extra functionality over other wireless mediums such as WiFi and Bluetooth, such as mobile payments, automation, and media sharing over short distances. This functionality was expected by many to be included in Apple's latest iPhone - but it wasn't. Here are the 3 main reasons:

The Design of the iPhone 5 Made It Impossible

The iPhone 5's body is aluminum and glass. NFC chips operate at a much lower frequency than cellular, so they require a longer antenna. This antenna is usually wrapped around the battery of an NFC enabled smartphone. If this was done on the iPhone 5, though, the metal back would block radio waves from reaching the antenna. Form over function?

Nobody Really Cares about NFC

Apple has a track record of wisely incorporating certain technologies in their products only if there is a foreseeable market for it. Mobile payment systems have a long way to go before they are widely adopted - if ever. Paying for something with your phone is arguably not much easier than paying with a credit card. This functionality is probably the frontrunner in regards to applications for NFC. However, automating your life is hugely in the background, and not likely something that users of a stylish and simple phone would be interested in.

That's not to say Apple will never care. Passbook, Apple's version of a mobile wallet, is being used today by many. Apple is likely collecting usage data and may make a decision based on how the public makes use of an electronic wallet.

Would you fumble with a $500 phone to pay for a hamburger at a drive thru? (Because McDonald's is one of the few places actually implementing NFC payments.) Also, a lot of people had to root/hack their Android phone just to get Google Wallet working in the first place. Would you keep your credit card information on a device in which you circumvented the security? NFC has security issues and flaws weather you're rooted or not.

What Would They Put in the 5S?

Here's where the old axiom "never buy the first version of anything" might be coming into play. One reason many people were expecting NFC in the latest iPhone is the possibility of Passbook being upgraded to incorporate NFC. Obviously there are no apps in the Apple Store that incorporate NFC. Based on how people respond to Passbook, Apple may decide to include NFC functionality in the next iteration of the phone. If they follow suit with their previous upgrades (3G to 3GS, 4 to 4S) it will probably be called the 5S.

So is incorporating technology that is nothing less than solidly demanded by the consumer public still the best decision? Or are Google, Samsung, HTC, etc. taking the better approach by experimenting early with larger screens, NFC, 4G LTE, features which the iPhone only just now received?

^{_{(Sources: Mobile Payments Today | NYTimes | img credit: NFC-Forum.org)}}