NFC TimesThe premier source for news, analysis and commentary on
Near Field Communication and all contactless technology

NFC TIMES Exclusive Insight – Vivo, China’s second largest smartphone maker, made it official this week, launching its NFC-enabled “vivo Pay” wallet, the last of the major Chinese phone OEMs to roll out NFC payments–though their use has been disappointing, at least for payments in stores.

NFC TIMES Exclusive Insight – A new smartwatch from low-cost Chinese wearables maker Huami and the latest fitness band version from Huami’s major investor and partner, Xiaomi, both support transit and retail payments–making them among the first budget smart wearables devices supporting NFC payments.

NFC TIMES Exclusive Insight – Struggling U.S.-based fitness band maker Fitbit announced today it will introduce an NFC-based payments service, “Fitbit Pay,” after it launches its first-ever smartwatch, the Ionic, promising to enable major issuers in more than 10 markets globally to offer contactless payments supporting the Visa, Mastercard and American Express brands.

NFC Times Exclusive – More Chinese OEMs have launched support for NFC transit ticketing, following earlier launches by Xiaomi and Huawei, NFC Times has learned, with at least five more device makers enabling service in one to two Chinese cities, or planning to do so.

NFC Times Exclusive Insight – Huawei and NXP Semiconductors have announced that the Chinese smartphone maker has added three cities to its transit-ticketing service from its Huawei Pay wallet, as Chinese OEMs continue to lead in enabling NFC fare collection from their devices.

NFC Times Exclusive – Samsung has been considering introducing NFC transit ticketing in every market where it has launched Samsung Pay, including the U.S., an

NFC Times Exclusive Insight – Seeking to expand its presence in such highly anticipated growth markets as the Internet of Things and intelligent cars, Qualcomm made good on earlier reported plans to buy Netherlands-based chip maker NXP Semiconductors, today announcing an all-cash deal worth $38.5 billion for NXP’s shares and total $47 billion including debt.

NFC Times Exclusive Insight –  About 60% of Chinese consumers who have activated transit cards in their Xiaomi Mi Pay wallet phones in Shenzhen and Shanghai have topped up value on the cards at least twice–an indicator of use–Charles Dachs, NXP Semiconductors’ NFC chief, told NFC Times, noting that there are more rollouts of NFC transit ticketing to come in OEM Pay wallets in China.

NFC Times Exclusive – The planned launch of NFC transit ticketing in Japan next month with Apple Pay shined the spotlight on the emergence of closed-loop NFC transit ticketing–which has been seen as a prime application for NFC phones but one that has disappointed NFC backers for years.

NFC Times Excusive Insight – China’s mobile payments market continues to heat up, with Chinese smartphone makers Huawei and Xiaomi announcing lineups of major banks as well as transit agencies participating in their respective NFC-based ‘Pays’ services.