Big Boat

Friday, June 3, 2011

Money in NFC

Realized the potential of NFC chips yet? Google has... Maybe its time you should too. How about investing on companies that manufacture NFC chips? The supplier competition in the NFC is steadily growing and the list of the current known producers can be seen in the chart below.
As seen, there are many big competitors in the market, though few are not in the same sections. Distinction between these companies is crucial when making your investment. For example, NXP focuses on smartphones, whereas TI focuses on other devices.

THE NFC MARKET

NFC Chip Supplier*
Key Handsets to Date
Notes
NXP SemiconductorsBase: Netherlands
Samsung S5230, All Nokia, others
Has NFC chips supporting both SWP and embedded secure element. Beat out Inside for chip for first Samsung NFC touch-screen model. Considered favorite to supply Apple if iPhone goes to NFC.
Inside Contactless 
Base: France
Sagem Cosyphone, Sagem my700X, others
Supplied chips for most trials involving apps on SIM cards with SWP connection. Likely to supply chip for ZTE, but no hints yet of any deals with tier-one handset makers.
Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics
Base: China
HEDY, Changhong
Has supplied chips for NFC handsets used by China Unicom in Shanghai. Will be key supplier to Chinese handset makers if Unicom and other telcos roll out NFC in China.
STMicroelectronics
Base: Switzerland
N/A
Said it can supply SIM chips “integrated” with planned NFC chip, including SIMs supporting Mifare. But NFC chip has been absent since ST announced it in late 2008. Chip maker said it will be able to ramp up in H2 of 2010, when it predicts handset makers will be launching three to five NFC models.
Texas Instruments
Base: United States
N/A
Big U.S. chip maker is targeting planned NFC chip to devices other than phones. After layoffs in its RFID unit last year, TI appears to be putting emphasis back on contactless with the standalone NFC chip. NFC integrated with TI’s wireless chipsets might come later.
Polaric
Base: Denmark
N/A
Fabless Danish startup said it will have samples in mid-2010 of a small, low-cost SWP-enabled NFC chip.
Table Source: nfctimes.com

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