The most recent rumor on the highly anticipated iPhone 5 suggests that it will be equipped with near field communication (NFC) function, which could potentially turn the phone into a digital wallet.
According to a post by 9to5Mac, who claimed to have pulled data from PreEVT iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2 prototypes, the new smartphone from Apple is to have the rumored larger 1136x640 display and NFC controllers. If the rumor turns out to be true, iPhone 5 owners may be able to make purchases simply using their smartphone on certain stores.
Considering Apple’s presentation at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2012 of its Passbook as one of its functions in iOS 6, Apple’s next mobile operating system scheduled to be launched this fall, the introduction of NFC may not be too far away. The Passbook allows users to easily organize and access their Starbuck cards, movie tickets, airline boarding passes, and other cards and coupons.
It is not the first time when Apple product had been rumored to be with NFC function. It dates back to 2010 when its iPhone 4 was rumored to come out with the technology. However, Apple released both iPhone 4 and 4S without it. Is it time for Apple to introduce the new phone with NFC technology?
According to PatentlyApple, the United States Trademark & Patent Office granted patent to Apple for its NFC technology, dubbed “iWallet” on June 5.
Some of the other rumors of iPhone 5 include a 4.0-inch larger screen, new iOS 6 with Apple’s own mapping service, a 19-pin port for charging, replaceable camera lens, and 4G LTE.
Apple has not confirmed the release date, but it is widely believed that the new phone will come out with the release of iOS 6, which is scheduled this fall.
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