RIM to turn BlackBerrys into e-wallets
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Balsillie said RIM is developing mobile payment technology, known as near-field communications (NFC) that would allow BlackBerry users to swipe their phones to pay for goods. "Many if not most of BlackBerry devices throughout the year will have NFC in them," he said.
Meanwhile, Top 10.com says future BlackBerry handsets will feature NFC technology, it has been confirmed, offering users contactless payments a la Oyster cards.
Balsillie confirmed plans to include NFC in the business blowers during his keynote address at the Mobile World Congress.
According to Computerworld, executives from RIM and carriers Orange and KT in South Korea have called 2011 the year that smartphone-based NFC technology will become an important mobile payment technology in many parts of the world.
During a panel discussion at the Mobile World Congress, the executives cited increasing numbers of smartphones carrying NFC chips that will be shipped this year along with emerging agreements between wireless carriers, payment system providers, retailers and other interested parties.
Share