SK Telecom , a Korea based telecom operator , has just introduced its next generation USIM cards which add NFC capabilities to phones lacking it. NFC is used to enable cell phone based payments , mobile advertisements and even peer to peer communications.
The USIM will perform normal SIM card duties while also adding a 13.56MHz near field communication antenna and an NFC controller onto the same chip. SK Telecom is a major proponent of NFC technology and has made it a requirement for all future smartphones which it will stock.
“The sharp increase in the number of handsets that offer NFC function through NFC on USIM is expected to fuel the spread of NFC-based services and lead to the development of diverse related services,” says SK Telecom.
[ Source – NFC World Via – @JoaoLuisC ]