Isis telco AT&T is making the first NFC-enabled cases for the iPhone available for use with the Isis Mobile Wallet this week, a move expected to be followed by Verizon Wireless soon.
It’s the largest commercial launch of NFC payments on the iPhone to date, a service that has been trialed extensively with similar NFC-enabled iPhone attachments.
The move, however, comes more than two months after Isis' national launch, with sources telling NFC Times the holdup was due, in large part, to delays in Apple certifying the new wallet app.
Isis hopes the cases and wallet app will add to consumer take-up and perhaps encourage more merchants and service providers to join the wallet. The iPhone add-ons, however, come with a few inconveniences for consumers, including a not insignificant price tag and the necessity to tie up the main connectors, including the lightning port on the iPhone 5 and 5s, preventing their use for other accessories.
Representatives from technology supplier DeviceFidelity, along with case vendors Incipio, and Otterbox, confirmed that only AT&T company-owned retail locations would carry the four iPhone cases when they become available in stores starting on Friday. The cases are currently available in AT&T’s online store. Only iPhones sold by AT&T can be used with the Isis Mobile Wallet app so far.
Words:
1,300
Among Topics Covered:
• Launch of NFC-enabled iPhone cases by Isis telco AT&T and significance for Isis rollout
• Reasons for delays in launch of case
• Pricing and port issues
• Other commercial launches of NFC-enabled iPhone attachments
• Significance for NFC-enabled microSD launches and companies
Among companies and organizations mentioned:
Isis
AT&T Mobility
Verizon Wireless
Apple
T-Mobile USA
DeviceFidelity
Incipio
OtterBox
On Track Innovations
This is premium content from NFC Times.