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iPhones Will Reportedly Get the Power To Unlock Doors Using NFC (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the coming-up-next dept.

The iPhone's NFC chip will soon have the ability open your house's and car's doors, as well as pay for your fare, reports The Information. From a report: The tech giant is reportedly gearing up to introduce a huge update for its devices' near-field communication chip, which is (at the moment) mostly used to make purchases via Apple Pay. Its employees already have access to the new features, the publication says, and have apparently been using their iPhones to access offices and buildings at Apple's HQ in Cupertino. While you can use iPhones to open a lot of smart locks via Bluetooth, NFC is considered the more secure option. According to the publication's sources, Apple has been working with HID Global, the company that made its security systems, to give iPhones the capability to gain access to buildings and offices since 2014. The company has reportedly been talking to transit card maker Cubic for years, as well.

6 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Another wonderful Apple innovation by spiritplumber · · Score: 3, Informative

    my Android phone from 2014 has that.

    --
    Liberty - Security - Laziness - Pick any two.
    1. Re:Another wonderful Apple innovation by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Your Android phone has also been exposed to malware since at least then. Not a good idea to have malware that can open doors.

  2. Oh Goodie! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now Apple(and whoever they sell the information to) can know where I live, what time I got home, what time I left, what mode of transport I took, what I bought and where, and criminals can now hijack not just my bank account but my home, my car and my transit pass horrraaa!

  3. Give them the keys by jabberw0k · · Score: 3, Funny

    once Microsoft Amazon Google Apple (MAGA) convince you to discard your books, your music discs, your house keys, your car keys, and the ability to pay for anything other than through them -- the enslavement will be complete. Now be a good citizen and comply... your papers, please?

  4. oh good by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was hoping to bring the airtight security of smart phones to my car and dwelling.

  5. Meh by nospam007 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sorry, but I put a NFC sticker inside my iPhone case years ago, thereby enabling it to open my front door.

    I'd prefer an app to identify the owners of all those cats who come visiting my porch every day.