According to The Information, iPhone could in the future be used to unlock a door or validate a ticket.
It is The Information that reveals it: with the release of iOS 12, the millions of iPhone equipped with NFC chips could see themselves equipped with new functionalities. As Engadget notes, until now, these features have mostly been limited to shopping via Apple Pay. However, according to The Information, iPhone could be used in other situations in the future.
For example, it would be possible to use the device, even if it is on standby, to unlock a hotel room door or validate a ticket (and possibly allow the Navigo pass to work on iPhone?). At Apple headquarters, employees would already use their iPhone to access their offices.
The announcement at the June WWDC?
Note that according to the publication, these changes could also affect Apple Watch. , but according to The Information, it should be soon. The site says that the Cupertino firm will introduce these new features at the WWDC on June 4.
On the Android side, things already seem very advanced. Last Friday, Valérie Pécresse, the president of the Île-de-France region, announced that Ile-de-France residents could soon buy their tickets and validate them directly via their Android phone.
Towards a more “Open” iPhone with iOS 12
Apple’s iPhone has always (or almost always) shone by its lack of openness, with insufficient connectivity, on the Bluetooth level as on the side of its Near Field Communication module. Indeed, integrated into new iPhone as in the Apple Watch, the NFC chip essentially allows to pay for purchases with Apple Pay. Among the competition, this same NFC chip allows access to many features, but according to The Information, Apple is getting ready (finally!) to let go at this level.
According to various rumours, Apple took its time to deploy this new feature, mainly for security reasons. For Apple, the idea is to extend the possibilities offered by the NFC functions of the iPhone, without ever compromising the security of the user. However, Apple has been announcing this evolution of the NFC function for some years now. It remains to be seen whether iOS 12 will finally make a difference in NFC connectivity after a battery-disastrous iOS 11. Just be patient.