Being the super well-informed CNET reader you are, you'll know Apple hasn't included NFC in the iPhone 5.
And you won't need me to remind you NFC is a contactless info-sharing technology that can be used to make payments with your phone, or act as a shortcut for grabbing or sharing info when used in conjunction with NFC tags, stickers and the like.
You'll also know NFC is kicking around in plenty of smart phones these days -- including the Samsung Galaxy S3, the HTC One X, the Sony Xperia S and P, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 and Curve 9360, and the forthcoming Nokia Lumia 920 -- to name just a few NFC-enabled devices that spring to mind.
So why, despite all these rival NFC blowers -- not to mention all the iPhone 5 NFC rumours -- did Apple choose to snub contactless tech in the latest edition of its super phone?
The answer is NFC is the proverbial solution looking for a problem, according to Apple senior exec Phil Schiller, who has been chatting to the Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD tech blog.
Schiller said Apple views its iOS 6 feature, Passbook, as a better alternative to NFC since it does what most customers want -- by storing their loyalty cards and tickets in one handy place -- and also keeps retailers happy, because it works with their existing payment infrastructure instead of requiring them to shell out for contactless terminals.
"Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today," Schiller boasts.
Schiller's words chime with comments made by mobile network Orange earlier this year, when Jean-Paul Cottet, executive VP of group marketing and innovation, told me that "seen from Apple's perspective, the NFC market is not yet enough mature".
AllThingsD also probed Schiller on why the iPhone 5 lacks another much-hyped tech, wireless charging. Again, Schiller suggested, this tech doesn't actually simplify your life very much, so isn't really worth including.
"Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Schiller told AllThingsD.
Finally, Schiller was asked why Apple has complicated iOS-lovers' lives by changing the iPhone's dock connector from a 30-pin plug to its new Lightning connector. He said a smaller dock was needed to build such a thin and light new iPhone and iPod.
iOS fans sobbing into their disconnected accessories can at least take comfort in the thought that Apple won't be messing with the connector again for the foreseeable future. "This is the new connector for many years to come," said Schiller.
Are you mad as hell there's no NFC in the iPhone 5? Or do you think NFC is about as useful as a chocolate teapot? Let me know your thoughts in the contactless comments below or shout to be heard on our Facebook page.
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Comments 28
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anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:05
"and also keeps retailers happy, because it works with their existing payment infrastructure instead of requiring them to shell out for contactless terminals".
But screw the consumer by making them for out £25 for an adapter. And for the record why did they not just make it micro usb, ya know the industry standard?.......something to do with not being thought up by apple perhaps??????
A Non Mouse
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:33
It don't work anyway!!!! HTC one x
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:43
NFC technology would probably work a lot better in future phones rather than today's phones. Only a few places offer contactless payment (which work with NFC), at the min I would prefer to keep my wallet until the technology has been advanced somewhat more. In my opinion, whats the point of having tech that is not going to be used in may places. (Wireless charging - should have added that feature for the fun and the fact that they can).
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:45
Wireless charging complicated to devise another device? Compared to plugging in a normal wall charger and then having to plug it into the phone? So a one step charge is more complicated than a two step charge.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:46
Who cares? The iphone is way overrated and way too expensive for a device on which you can't do what you want on.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:48
Obviously NFC isn't patented by apple.... NFC is with a lot of phones... That's a lot of customers... Apple are going maverick on this... This is awful from apple and shows them to be quite a self indulged operation. I can't follow this attitude.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:49
I'm a proud owner of the Samsung Galaxy S3 which has NFC capability, but frankly, I don't know what Apple is missing out on seeming as I have never used it. Anybody up to educating me on how I can take advantage of NFC?
anonymous 13 September, 2012 16:55
Search the youtube for nfc on the s3 an you will know what it can do. I'm using it day and night
jameso96 13 September, 2012 16:58
That is one of my points, the NFC technology is in mobile phones - a few people I know have NFC in their phones and it doesn't work or they have no instructions on how to use it...
Seriously, for technology that no one uses, whats the point of paying for it? Apple have made a smart decision keeping away from NFC - well for now anyway!
Ronan Carr 13 September, 2012 17:00
wireless charging means less wear and tear on the device and NFC would advance faster if everybody had it on their phones. Weak excuses
anonymous 13 September, 2012 19:34
lets think, oh yeah because instead of being helpful and releasing a product which a lot of people will buy with an indrusty standard which would then force development of said standard they decide that there method is better. Further fragmenting the world of technology, plus they would get sued because everyone who makes smartphones hates apple now.
RobProxama 13 September, 2012 19:45
It’s telling that the absence of NFC on the new iPhone 5 hasn’t been much of a surprise to those of us who have observed Apple’s progress in this area. It would have been great if Apple had included NFC; but is that really going to obstruct the march of NFC? I don’t think so.
The vast investment in NFC mobile contactless payments and services is not going to wane. And with the NFC-enabled Android, Windows 8 and RIM handsets dominating the smartphone market NFC is going to progress at a pace without Apple. This could be Apple’s loss.
Global brands such as MasterCard, Visa, Barclaycard, Orange and Google have committed, and will continue to commit millions on developing NFC capabilities.
Contactless terminals are being deployed across the retail industry as we speak in readiness for mobile contactless payments.
Apple is taking a different route with mobile contactless payments at the moment but it means that iPhone users will miss out on one of the other big benefits of NFC which is the ability to interact with marketing campaigns that use NFC tags embedded in posters and product packaging. This sort of activity that will initially drive the use and demand for NFC services before payments take off as mainstream.
Jim Wilkinson 13 September, 2012 21:01
NFC can and will be used for so much more than contactless payments.
anonymous 13 September, 2012 22:03
NOKIA LUMIA 920
I was going for the iPhone 5, but compared to the Nokia, it's really just not as nice. I've noticed a lot of people have started feeling that way too.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 02:09
So as well as opting to go their own way with the charger port... they now intend to go their own way with contactless payments. I think this the second nail in apples coffin.. the first being the iPhone 5!
anonymous 14 September, 2012 02:48
I agree with apple. Wireless charging is nothing ground breaking .. you still need to have a wired device connected to the socket in the wall.. with USB charging i dont see a concern these days charging my phone... NFC too is so small at the moment. Iphone5 is not the last iphone to be released.. in 12 months they can add it in their new phone if the technology lives up to its hype
anonymous 14 September, 2012 11:45
NFC is much more that contactless payment.
It meants you can transfer huge amouts of data between phones instantly and with out wires.
You can even set it up to do cerntain actions, like if u have an Sony SRS NFC speaker, all u need to do is tap your phone to it and it will automaically sync bluetooth and play your music.
Retailers and product manufaturers will only adapt this after the consumers have the devices with this capability. it will never happen the other way round.
So this is another area that apple are standing in the way of progress.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 12:12
NFC is not just for contactless payment, also data transfer between devices. IOS does not support even bluetooth file transfer.
if data transfer (NFC or Bluetooth) is not useful, what else is Mr schiller. I am yet to see any body using SIRI in a day to day life. when they do, they look like clowns.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 12:23
Just for fun .....
News from the future
Apple release iphone 8 which includes the revolutionary technology called iNFC. Never before you could use such marvel of technology to transfer data seamlessly across all you iDevices and pay to iRetailers using iPay terminals. Apple also releases a new clothing range called iFashion which is a game changer. These clothes can relieve of the weight in your pocket and make your low self esteem life feel cool.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I exactly know why Apple became popular it gave technically novices a feeling of having technically the most advanced cool looking phone which they can brag about with others of their kind. Happy iPhoning ..... :)
anonymous 14 September, 2012 13:42
Jean-Paul Cottet's explanation sounds correct. So far, mobile users don't really care whether their handset embarks NFC, and to my opinion, Apple's strategy will prove right. The reason why so many are upset stems from Apple's ability to open up markets. The first NFC Iphones should mark the t=0 milestone of a contactless society. It is not by now. As they've hired the best men on the subject, they are ready to fire when necessary. It would be sound if another company tried to get the lead before Apple comes and disrupts everything, as a change... I like this company, but I like competition too.
anonymous 14 September, 2012 17:22
It's telling that the absence of NFC on the new iPhone 5 hasn't been much of a surprise to those of us who have observed Apple's progress in this area. It would have been great if Apple had included NFC but is that really going to obstruct the march of NFC? I don't think so.
The vast investment in NFC mobile contactless payments and services is not going to wane. And with the NFC-enabled Android, Windows 8 and RIM handsets dominating the smartphone marketNFC is going to progress at a pace without Apple.
Global brands such as MasterCard, Visa, Barclaycard, Orange and Google have committed, and will continue to commit millions on developing NFC capabilities.
Contactless terminals are being deployed across the retail industry as we speak in readiness for mobile contactless payments. Apple is taking a different route with mobile contactless payments at the moment and that's fine but it does mean that iPhone users will miss out on one of the other big benefits of NFC which is the ability to interact with marketing campaigns that use NFC tags embedded in posters and product packaging. This sort of activity that will initially drive the use and demand for NFC services before payments take off as mainstream.
Matthew Russell 14 September, 2012 20:04
"Apple choose to snub contactless tech in the latest edition of its super phone?"
its not a super phone! theres nothing super about it! its a smartphone ffs it does the same thing as anything other SMART phone! its a smart phone ffs
anonymous 15 September, 2012 10:05
Think bigger, peeps... NFC on your phone with NFC tags at your front door, garage, car, office, back yard... swipe the front door NFC tag - doors lock, lights shut off, swipe it on the way in, do the reverse. Swipe it when you get to work, PC logs in, opens your emails, and updates your Twitter. Go hope, swipe your back yard tag, music turns on, lazeeboy flips out and your system calls you neighbour to tell them to bring you marguerita... ok, maybe that's a stretch but you get the idea - You gotta think bigger. It's not just about payment terminals - those are about as new and interesting as a shot of novocaine. Think about: instead of accessing technology to get something done, imagine getting something done by technology accessing you.
-e
anonymous 19 September, 2012 10:15
Let's face it all the latest phones should have the latest technology even if so it's future proof. The iPhone simply is not future proof and never have been really. This version of the iPhone 5 has very little to offer over last year's iPhone 4s other than a software upgrade which in fairness looks ok. I am disappointed and have changed to android despite having the 64gb new ipad and iPhone 4s.
bukton 27 September, 2012 11:20
I am not surprised that NFC was left out of the lastest blockbustester phone. Apple do not have NFC patents, that means no control and no revenue. Until they (Apple) are guaranteed full control and controlling power over revenues, Apple will continue to divert attention from the technology (Passport comes to mind).
anonymous 2 October, 2012 10:02
I think it's a little disappointing that the new iPhone doesn't have NFC, although equally i haven't seen anywhere that is offering contactless payment but I'm sure it will be almost everywhere in the not so distant future, although in regards to the new dock connector I see that it will inconvenience a lot of people but I've always used bluetooth and airplay to connect to any speakers & my car so if the new design means that they can make the phone thinner and lighter I'm all in favour or it.
anonymous 26 November, 2012 08:44
If Apple were to take NFC on board using it in their devices. Then I guess NFC would have been well known and used.
anonymous 11 March, 2013 17:31
I think NFC is kinda useful. As an iPod user, all I would use NFC for is playing games with other people. I mean, NTC is a nice feature to have, but it isn't really worth all of the trouble right now.
BUT, I have seen a lot of places in my area starting to use it. For example, last week me and my mother went downtown. When we were about to pay, we saw the little thing with the picture of the card and the little waves going toward it. I've been seeing this for 5 years now and I have never known what it was for. If I had an iPhone (hopefully, I'll get one this summer) I would totally be asking my mom for money to use passbook to pay for cabs, etc. I even plan on putting my airline tickets on my iPod when I leave this summer!
Come on Apple, we NEED NFC, not your PROPRIETARY PASSBOOK!