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NFC Roadmap Is Official: Longer Range, Better Wireless Charging and more
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NFC Forum has recently revealed its comprehensive Technology Roadmap, sharing insights into the future of NFC technology and its anticipated developments.
The NFC Roadmap outlines key initiatives, which will shape the direction of NFC, presenting exciting opportunities for product development, markets, and businesses.
Since these initiatives’ timeframe spans two to five years, individual work items are currently at different stages of development, from research to market requirements and draft specifications.
The NFC Roadmap was developed by leading Board representatives from Apple, Google, Huawei, Identiv, Infineon, NXP, Qualcomm, Sony, and STMicroelectronics as well as the Forum’s 400-member company community.
NFC Roadmap
Increased Power for NFC Wireless Charging: The NFC Forum aims to enhance the current NFC Wireless Charging specification, increasing the power capabilities from 1 watt to 3 watts. This advancement will enable wireless power and charging in smaller form factors, disrupting industrial design and opening up new markets.
Increased Range: The NFC Forum is examining ways to extend the operating range of NFC connections, aiming for distances four to six times greater than the current 5mm limit. Even a modest increase in range will facilitate faster and easier contactless transactions, enhance user experience, and reduce the need for precise antenna alignment.
Multiple Purpose Tap: This feature aims to improve the contactless user experience by enabling several actions with a single tap. From point-to-point receipt delivery to loyalty identification and total-journey ticketing, this innovation will enhance convenience and efficiency.
Modernizing Device-to-Device Communication: The NFC Forum is working towards empowering NFC-enabled smartphones with Point-of-Sale functionality, known as SoftPOS. This advancement will enable businesses and individuals to accept payments anywhere, expanding the reach of NFC technology.
Expanding NFC’s Data Sharing Capabilities for Sustainability: To meet evolving consumer demands and regulatory requirements, the NFC Forum aims to enable NFC to share data on product composition and recycling options. This enhancement will contribute to a healthier circulatory economy and support sustainability goals.
Regarding the announcement, NFC Forum Executive Director Mike McCamon said,
The exponential growth of NFC technology is a testament to our members’ forward-thinking approach and unwavering dedication to innovation. Through our continuously evolving standards, business-line managers and product designers will be able to create new and exciting products and services that customers will love. As NFC technology becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, our planned features have the potential to significantly enhance the way we pay and receive payments; engage with our favorite brands; power our devices; and access sustainable products and services.
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Samsung no longer interested in EV battery business in the US?
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Samsung could shift its investment from the EV battery business in the US. The company plans to adjust its investment in ESS from EVs due to a sluggish market. The move comes after low demand for EVs, particularly bikes, and growing demand for ESS.
TheElec reports that Samsung eyeing the growing demand for ESS (energy storage systems) in the US. North America’s largest power company NextEra Energy could be awarding Samsung with a potential 1 trillion won ESS order.
Samsung is investing in converting its EV battery pack production line in Michigan, US. The electric bike battery pack line will be dismantled and converted for ESS use. The investment is expected to begin as early as the fourth quarter.
- The ESS battery pack line will be located in Factory 1, where a battery pack line for Harley-Davidson is currently in operation.
- Factory 2 primarily produces battery packs for Stellantis PHEVs, such as the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe.
The Korean tech giant is pursuing a 1 trillion won order for ESS batteries from NextEra Energy. The order is estimated to be around 5GWh. The company has started accelerating its penetration into the ESS market since last year with its Battery Box.
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Samsung exploring sensor-shift OIS camera tech for Galaxy phones
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Samsung is exploring advanced sensor-shift image stabilization (OIS) camera tech for future Galaxy phones. The company recently filed a patent application related to image stabilization technology for mobile devices in South Korea.
The latest Samsung patent suggests work on the sensor-shift image stabilization (OIS) camera is underway. However, Apple iPhone-like sensor shift camera tech is far from arriving on Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.
The patent entitled “Actuator for optical image stabilization and camera module including the same” describes how less force is required to stabilize the sensor itself. This allows for a more precise correction of the sensor position.
The patent document shows that Samsung is continuing to develop its ideas and methods for sensor-shift image stabilization. The absence of such cameras is not a sign that the company has abandoned the idea.
Samsung has been working on sensor-shift image stabilization for years. The company aims to upgrade the Galaxy camera capabilities in the future. The sensor-shift stabilization offers a sharper image by moving the camera sensor.
Previously, patents related to sensor-shift telephoto camera surfaced. However, the Korean tech giant hasn’t commercialized the technology. The patent was published recently, but doesn’t mean we will be seeing this upgrade in the Galaxy S25 series.
The development suggests that Samsung won’t include it on Galaxies till an advanced variant evolves. As the exploration continues, sensor-shift OIS feature remains in hope for the future of Galaxy smartphone segment.
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Samsung crafting mixed-reality smart glasses with Qualcomm, Google
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Samsung officially confirmed its teaming up with Qualcomm and Google for XR devices. Now, Qualcomm CEO revealed that the company is working with Samsung and Google to develop mixed-reality smart glasses.
According to the info, Samsung is working on portable mixed-reality smart glasses in collaboration with Qualcomm. Not XR headset, the company’s first extended reality product could be smart glasses with AI for new experiences.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon shared new details about Samsung’s upcoming XR product. In an interview to CNBC, Amon confirmed the collab with Samsung will result in “a new product” that offers “new experiences.”
Beyond that, he hinted that this product will likely be a pair of XR smart glasses, not a headset. Just opposite to Apple’s approach, Samsung and Qualcomm aimed to create XR smart glasses that would be portable and easy to carry around.
“I want everyone who has a phone to go buy companion glasses to go along with it,” Amon said. “We need to reach a point where wearing smart glasses feels no different from wearing regular glasses or sunglasses. Only then can we achieve true scale,” he added.
The XR smart glasses could debut later this year, featuring artificial intelligence. Samsung and Qualcomm reportedly aiming to make XR glasses mainstream, while Google could support them with optimized software.
Following the trend, the XR smart glasses could pack on-device AI capabilities. Some AI features will run directly on the device, others on the phone, and certain tasks will require cloud processing – unlocking “a whole new set of experiences.”
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