Date: 13/11/2009

ST Micro's contactless chips to have NXP Semiconductor's technology

In the contactless IC market, it's clearly dominated by the three semiconductor biggies ST, NXP and Infineon from Europe. They make paper-thin tiny chips to send/receive the transaction and security data at banks, billing counters, public transportation.

Amid the immense competition between these three players, they are seriously partnering to stop any emerging competitor.

ST Micro has licensed NXP's contactless MIFARE technology to integrate the entire MIFARE family into its security solutions for mobile phone and banking applications, which include electronic ticketing and payment, and advanced contactless banking cards.

ST has also integrating MIFARE Classic and MIFARE DESFire technology into its SIM card chips and other embedded secure solutions for the mobile phone market, and into security solutions for PC readers and banking card ICs.

"As the leader in contactless ICs, we are convinced that the mainstream adoption of NFC requires true industry collaboration, and so we are delighted that STMicroelectronics will be integrating the MIFARE technology into its next-generation contactless solutions," said Ruediger Stroh, General Manager, Identification business, NXP Semiconductors. "We will continue to drive the extension and evolution of contactless applications while developing technologies that provide the flexibility, security and performance required to bring an exciting new range of devices even closer to consumers fingertips."

"The breadth of ST's smart card IC product portfolio, ranging from dual-interface microcontrollers to NFC devices and related embedded and SIM-based secure solutions, positions the company as a unique player in the contactless ecosystem," said Marie-France Florentin, Digital Secure Access Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. "Teaming up with NXP and licensing MIFARE technology, the most widespread contactless technology around the world, we now support an additional and essential application field, which will enrich our portfolio of secure processor ICs for the SIM, banking card ICs and embedded secure solutions."

For more details visit www.st.com