Date: 09/08/2012

NFC tag application developer kit from Infineon for North American market

Infineon Technologies has announced release of a NFC tag application developer kit for the North American market. Developers of smartphone apps can use the kit for design and test of information exchange applications based on NFC Forum Type 2 Tag technology.

Infineon explains one key category of applications for NFC (Near Field Communications) technology is based on the ability to create "Tap and Use" applications that link between a mobile device and tags embedded in objects. The tags require no attached power source and respond to the RF energy emitted by an NFC-radio device within a 10 cm range. Programmed with a short message or URL pointer to a website, embedded tags can be used to make signs and posters in retail environments "smart" and provide easy check-in to locations for consumer-oriented services.

Infineon shares market growth info on NFC where it says the number of smartphone users that can access these types of applications is expected to sky rocket in the next few years, with estimates that NFC-capable smart phone shipments will rise from 80 million in 2012 to 900 million in 2016 as per IMS Research recent study.

Infineon's NFC Application Developer kit includes SLE66 R01 Series NFC tags in two form factors and a SLE 66R32 in a card form factor, programming information and application notes. Tags have either 128 byte or 2kbytes of usable memory (as defined for NFC Forum Type 2 Tag operation). Priced at $99, the kit is available through Infineon 's distribution partner: http://www.em.avnet.com/en-us/design/drc/Pages/Infineon-NFC-Tag-Developer-Kit.aspx