As Android, Symbian, BlackBerry and Bada have supported NFC (near field communication) functions and Microsoft and Apple plan to make Windows Phone and iOS support NFC in 2012, the proportion of NFC-enabled smartphones will quickly increase from less than 10% currently to over 50% in two to three years, according to Taiwan-based smartphone makers.

Samsung Electronics, HTC, Nokia and RIM have already launched NFC-enabled smartphone models in 2011, the sources noted. Without technological problems, the unsmooth development of NFC is mainly attributable to problems in standard specification, ecosystem and commercial operation, the sources indicated.

SIM-based NFC promoted by the GSM Association has won support from 45 mobile telecom carriers around the world, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, Korea Telecom, Bharti Airtel, China Mobile and China United Network Communications, to become the mainstream NFC standard, the sources pointed out. This affords a clear direction for handset vendors and developers of applications to move toward applications of NFC functions, the sources indicated. 

Source:digitimes