RFID and the world of cell phones
If you mark my word then by 2009 half of cell phones working around the world will be RFID enabled. Soon these normal wireless devices which are used for communicating could act as a RFID reader or a radio capable device for NFC. With it probably you will have access to all types of data on your cell phone. So the next time you go shopping you might not require pulling out your credit card to make payment since your cell phone will be able to make your payments all because of RFID.
Cell phones could also be used as speed pass for making payments for fuel and it could be a big relief for drivers who would neither require carrying cash nor any card and will be able to make payments with just a touch of the button of their cell phones. Your cell phone will even keep a tab on your health and in case you are a diabetes patient then you can read your blood sugar as and when you require using your cell phone which receives data from patch on the arm. You could even use your phone for buying a movie ticket when you go to a movie theatre and this means you won’t have to stand in long queues to get the ticket. Now you can even use your cell phone for buying out a burger at McDonalds without moving out of your seat at their restaurants. Even students at Slippery Rock University are now using RFID tags in their cell phones for making payments.
A number of companies have already started working on developing RFID phones since they know that RFID powered phones have a lot of potential and could be used to put to a number of uses besides just communicating. These phones will be using RFID chips for using Near Field Communication or NFC.
Nokia is already working on a RFID equipped cell phone whereas Kokuyo’s Doko line of cell phones is being used for tracking services in Japan Pokies. Other companies too are in the race for launching a RFID phone soon with RFID phone pilots already taking place. One good news for the RFID industry is that Nokia would be shipping mobile RFID kit with its 5140 phone in the later part of the year so it seems the RFID cell phone revolution is about to begin. One more thing is that Nokia has been using RFID cell phones for even keeping a watch on its security guards and from this itself you can judge the faith of the company in the technology.
With so many functions possible on their phones people would certainly like to opt for them since it would offer them convenience on a single device. Companies would be selling them on the basis of convenience factor since this would make their life pretty easy and they will be able to complete a number of transactions with just a click of their phone. I was just wondering what would be the prices of the phone – will they be cheaper or expensive as compared to the normal cell phones available? Price and their usability could play an important role in increasing their popularity among the people. Also cell phone companies will have to undertake heavy advertising to spread knowledge about RFID if they would like to see this technology succeed in the world of communication. From all this it seems that RFID will eventually become a part of our lives. Its not just cell phones which has embraced this technology but we have even seen passports in US getting affixed with RFID. Slowly and steadily RFID is perpetuating to the masses and will not just be a domain of industrial application where it is mainly used for tracking. In the years to come we will probably see RFID getting implemented in a number of devices which would surely help in improving their functionality. So are you all people ready for the revolution which this technology is going to create in the coming years?