U.S.-based chip maker Broadcom, whose Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combination wireless chips are found in such popular smartphones as the Samsung Galaxy S III and Apple iPhone 5, has announced NFC support for one of its next wireless combo chips.
Broadcom said it has incorporated NFC into the follow-up to its BCM4334, which Samsung and Apple use in their respective flagship devices. The new chip, the BCM43341, supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with FM radio and NFC. Broadcom said it is already sampling the new chip, and it would be available for volume production in the first quarter of 2013.
Combo wireless connectivity chips save space and usually costs for device makers, though standalone NFC chips are becoming smaller. The inclusion of NFC technology in combo chips is expected to add fuel to the deployment of NFC in smartphones and tablets.