News from the Wire

NFC Forum unveils NFC developer program

Thursday, October 02, 2014 — 12:02:25 (EDT)

Wakefield, Mass., Oct. 2, 2014 – The NFC Forum today launched its "Tap Into NFC" Developer Program, which delivers resources and support to developers worldwide to leverage the power of NFC for innovative applications and services. "Tap Into NFC" is designed to support application developers via events, networking opportunities, and a new, dedicated website comprising developer kits and technical specs, news, and product spotlights. These resources will enable developers to sharpen their NFC proficiency and accelerate the deployment of solutions that bring the power and convenience of NFC to the lives of consumers and businesses worldwide.

The program kicks off with the launch of the "Tap Into NFC" website, which includes a revolving product showcase in which NFC developers can share their applications with their peers. To celebrate the launch, the NFC Forum will host a Twitter contest October 16-23. Using #Tapin2NFC, developers are invited to share what they like most about the program and site, including favorite products from the product showcase. A winning tweet will be selected at random and the winner will receive an NFC-enabled wearable device. Look for details on the NFC Blog the second week of October.

"With millions of potential use cases -- from health care to military -- NFC is fast becoming the mobile standard for exchanging digital content and connecting devices with a touch," said John McLear, founder, NFC Ring. "We're proud to be a part of the NFC community of innovative developers and brands. The NFC Forum's developer program will help foster further development and drive consumer adoption, and we're thrilled to have the Ring represented within the program's new NFC Product Showcase."

"The NFC ecosystem is global and diverse, which can make it challenging to navigate, particularly for small and medium companies," said Dave Shalaby, founder and president of TapTrack. "For many firms such as TapTrack, the allure of NFC applications beyond just mobile payments is strong; the trick is to find the right technology providers, channel partners, and early adopters. The NFC Forum's Developer Program helps to bring together innovative NFC companies and the networks that can help them succeed in the marketplace."

"We're really excited to be participating in the 'Tap Into NFC' Developer Program, as it is showcasing all of the amazing innovations taking place within the NFC space," said Dave Wentker, CEO of Tapcentive. "We look forward to being a part of a vibrant developer community that is focused on unleashing a new wave of creative, disruptive, and groundbreaking solutions leveraging NFC."

"The new NFC developer program provides a great framework to give developers access to knowledge and tools needed to develop NFC products," said Donatien Garnier, founder and CEO of AppNearMe, Ltd. "I am convinced that it will foster innovation within the NFC ecosystem by showcasing inventive NFC applications and removing the technical barriers linked to implementation."

"NFC developers are at the leading edge of the NFC ecosystem, opening our eyes to the growing number of things this remarkable technology can do," said Paula Hunter, executive director of the NFC Forum. "'Tap Into NFC' strengthens our community of developers by providing them with everything they need to turn their visions into solutions, and a way to share ideas and insights."

The first products featured in the NFC Product Showcase include:

• NFC Ring – The NFC Ring can be used to unlock doors and mobile phones, transfer information, and link people.

• INTERACT – A mobile app that allows event attendees to use their smartphones to capture contacts and content during events.

• MapYourTag – A mobile app that enables companies to track, manage, and get traceability of their assets, equipment, tools, etc. for affordable and reliable inventory status.

• AppNearMe's MicroNFCboard – A development board that makes it especially easy to build NFC-enabled devices.

• TapTrack's Mobile ePassport Scanner – The mobile ePassport scanner is an accessory for phones, tablets, and laptops that can turn any of these devices into a passport or eID scanning and verification tool.

• Tapcentive – An in-location mobile engagement platform that is transforming how businesses drive foot traffic and engage their customers by connecting the digital and physical worlds with mobile, through the use of NFC and BLE powered touchpoint devices.

Developers are invited to submit their products for consideration in the new NFC Product Showcase.

The program launch will be followed by the "Tap Into NFC" Developer Showcase event on October 8 at the Hotel Nikko in Tokyo. Event attendees will get a hands-on look at the latest products from NFC Forum member companies and innovators in Japan, including an automobile with an NFC Smartphone Key system. The winner of the A3 NFC Application Development contest will give a presentation and demonstrate the winning product. For more information, including registration, visit nfc-forum.org/events/tap-into-nfc-developer-showcase/.

The NFC Forum will host an "NFC in Action" conference on October 10 in Tokyo at the Hotel Nikko. In addition, the NFC Forum is a Gold Sponsor of AnDevCon, the Android Developer Conference, which will be held in San Francisco, November 18-21, 2014.

Tweet this: NFC Forum launches "Tap Into NFC" Developer Program. tapintonfc.org/ #NFCapps .

About Near Field Communication Technology NFC technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch. A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as access control, consumer electronics, health care, information collection and exchange, loyalty and coupons, payments, and transport. NFC technology is supported by the world's leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.

About the NFC Forum The NFC Forum (www.nfc-forum.org ) was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's global member companies are currently developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability. The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Broadcom Corporation, Google, Inc., Intel, MasterCard Worldwide, NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

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Source: Company press release.