Apple has been granted a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for a service that would store vehicle keys on an iPhone... More
Keys
iLoq unveils energy harvesting door lock powered by NFC phones
Finnish digital lock mechanism specialist iLoq has unveiled the world’s first electronic door lock powered by a user’s NFC mobile phone, removing the need for the lock to be equipped with a battery or external power source. More
Mercedes shows NFC keys in Detroit
Mercedes is showing its new E-Class cars with NFC entry for the first time at the Detroit Motor Show this week... More
Samsung unveils Gear S2 with NFC
Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Gear S2, its latest smartwatch which includes NFC for payments... More
August smart lock update lets Apple Watch users unlock their front door
Smart lock maker August has updated its iOS app to allow people to unlock their front doors using an Apple Watch... More
Mercedes E-Class to get secure NFC keys
Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming W213 E-Class car will come equipped with NFC to allow keyless entry and starting... More
Marriott Hotels lets users check in with Apple Watch
Hotel chain Marriott Hotels has released version 4.6 of its iOS mobile app that introduces support for Apple Watch, enabling users to check in, receive room-ready alerts and check out from their wrist... More
AMS chips will allow cars to be unlocked and started with NFC phones
PARTNER NEWS: AMS’ AS3914 NFC reader IC has been selected by automotive equipment supplier Marquardt for its new series of contactless door lock and ignition control modules due, says the chip maker, to the chip’s reliable NFC coupling even when mounted in close proximity to sheet metal... More
Starwood guests unlock hotel rooms with Apple Watch app
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has launched an app for the Apple Watch that enables wearers to tap their device to unlock hotel room doors via Bluetooth... More
Bulgari unveils luxury NFC smartwatch
Italian jewellery brand Bulgari will enter the luxury smartwatch market next year when it launches the NFC-enabled Diagono Magnesium watch – allowing users to make contactless payments, access personal data, as well as unlocking doors at home, at work, or on their own car or yacht... More
NXP unveils connected car with NFC and payments
NXP Semiconductors has showcased a proof-of-concept connected car that makes use of long-range UHF RFID tags and NFC to help drivers of the future access and pay for restricted parking spaces, get warnings of traffic jams and allow groceries or parcels to be delivered directly into their car without them even being there to open the trunk... More
Apple Watch to replace car keys
Apple is planning to supplant car keys with Apple Watch functionality, CEO Tim Cook has revealed in an interview with the The Telegraph... More
Audi unlocks car with NFC smartwatch
Audi has shown off a smartwatch that can be used to communicate with and unlock a car via NFC at the CES in Las Vegas... More
BMW offers contactless credit card that can unlock and start hire cars
BMW has partnered with MasterCard to offer an NFC-enabled contactless credit card that makes it possible to hire, unlock and operate a BMW or Mini from a car rental fleet that has more than 2,800 vehicles and more than 350,000 users in the US, UK, Germany and Austria... More
Yale introduces residential deadbolt with NFC unlocking
Lock maker Yale has introduced an NFC-based door lock for homes which can be operated with a tap of a smartphone and allows homeowners to send keys to others, control when others have access, get a notification when someone uses the lock, and revoke already issued digital keys at any time... More
Motorola secures Android and Apple devices with smart keyfob
Motorola has unveiled Motorola Keylink, a US$24.99 smart keyfob that uses Bluetooth Low Energy to enable iOS and Android device owners to track down their smartphone or their keys if they misplace them... More
Starwood’s mobile keys go live
The Bluetooth-based mobile keyless entry solution unveiled by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide earlier this month is now live in 10 hotels in Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and Doha and will be rolling out to Aloft, Element and W Hotels across the globe... More
Hilton to let guests unlock their doors with smartphones
Hotel chain Hilton Worldwide has announced a plan to enable guests to use their smartphones as keys at the majority of its properties around the world... More
HotelTonight to offer NFC keys
HotelTonight is to upgrade its Android app to enable customers to unlock their rooms via NFC, where a hotel supports the technology... More
Mahana uses BLE to help hotels improve customer service
Hospitality technology startup Mahana has introduced a customer service platform that gives hotel and casino staff a way to improve customer service by accessing guest information on the go... More
