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NFC Times Exclusive Insight – U.S.-based Broadcom reported continued growth for its connectivity segment during its first quarter 2015 earnings call, but made almost no mention of NFC.

NFC Times Exclusive – U.S.-based chip vendor Broadcom is the latest component supplier to make a play for the market for NFC-enabled mobile point-of-sale devices, expected to see strong demand as mobile-payment services like Apple Pay continue to expand.

NFC Times Exclusive Insight – Broadcom made only passing reference to NFC during a conference call Thursday to discuss the company’s fourth quarter and full-year earnings, although CEO Scott McGregor listed NFC as one of the technologies expected to help lead to growth in the company’s high-end connectivity business.

U.S.-based chip maker Broadcom announced it is sampling a new NFC chip targeting the automotive market.

NFC Times Exclusive – Mohamed Awad, who formerly headed Broadcom’s NFC business, has returned to oversee the program, among other duties, as Broadcom looks to reinvigorate a progra

NFC Times Exclusive: While NXP Semiconductors won the coveted contract to supply NFC chips and secure elements to Apple for its new iPhone models, it has been cut out of the recent business for Samsung Galaxy handsets, including the Note 4.

U.S.-based Broadcom did not mention NFC in its recent conference call with analysts following release of its second quarter results, in which it announced cuts to its global workforce of 20% by exiting the baseband mobile processor business.

U.S.-based Broadcom acknowledged that it lost two major design wins for smartphones, but noted wins in wearables, and the company predicted growth over time for its NFC business.

Pairing of home and office devices and appliances via Wi-Fi has taken a step forward with updated NFC handover specifications from two trade organizations, the NFC Forum and the Wi-Fi Alliance.

NFC Times Exclusive: Despite a slow year in NFC sales and loss of business for Samsung’s Galaxy S4 flagship, NXP Semiconductors shipped significantly more NFC controllers in 2013 than in 2012 and held onto the top spot among NFC chip suppliers last year over rival Broadcom. With its design win for the Galaxy S5, it appears poised to take the lion's share of business again this year.