As noted a few moments ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt talked a little bit about the next iteration of the Android mobile platform — Android 2.3 [Gingerbread] — while showing off the highly-anticipated Nexus S at the 2010 Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, California. Schmidt revealed that Android 2.3 [Gingerbread] will be released in the next few weeks along with the Nexus S.
He also indicated that one of the major features of the upcoming Android 2.3 [Gingerbread] will be NFC [Near Field Communication] support. As a matter of fact, he mentioned that the “unannounced device” that he was holding — the Nexus S — will come equipped with NFC technology.
Now, some of you might be wondering “what the hell is NFC?” Well, NFC or Near Field Communication is a technology that allows devices to interact with each other when they’re close to one another. The Nexus S is said to come with chip that will let users make payment on specially equipped credit card terminals. The system is very similar to what Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. is rumored to introduce with the upcoming iPhone 5.
Making payments with a mobile device is just an example of what NFC brings to the table. There are many possibilities. Another example would be checking into places without actually having to get your phone out, open an specific location-based application, and do the whole thing manually. Establishments could just have specially designed location terminals that would allow users to just tap their phones to check-into that specific business.
We can expect that future Android-powered devices will be equipped with the NFC chip too.
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