The majority of NFC phones will come with embedded secure chips that can store applications, say research analysts–projections that will not come as welcome news to many mobile operators.
Device makers are likely ordering the chips to secure applications from app stores that will run on their phones. And among the applications the chips could store are payment services from banks, transit and event ticketing and ID for access control, though phone and mobile platform suppliers have stayed mum on the intended uses for the chips.
One research firm, UK-based IMS Research, projects that 75% of the roughly 70 million NFC phones predicted to be shipped this year will come with embedded chips. An analyst from another firm, U.S.-based Gartner, believes that estimate might be high, but certainly a majority of phones will carry the embedded chips this year, including handsets from such large manufacturers as Research in Motion, Nokia, Samsung and HTC.
"Most NFC phones will come with embedded secure chips, like Google's Nexus S." I think this is a bit confusing. Google's Nexus S has an embedded secure element. Embedded secure element is 1 of the 4 applied solutions to enable NFC-Phones for (secure) payments. Until now, you find few phones which have embedded secure element. We see a lot more NFC Phones with SWP and a SIM-based secure element. For more info about the 4 applied solutions; http://www.nfc-phones.org/what-can-we-do-with-nfc-phones/ Also up to date lists of all available NFC-Phones, by country and by carrier.