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Telecommunication-technology company Qualcomm Inc. says it will develop chipset designs for mobile phones incorporating Near Field Communication technology. The move could boost prospects for NFC phones hitting the market over the next couple of years, including in the United States, where some major mobile operators use CDMA network technology from the United States-based company. "NFC technology holds great potential for changing the way mobile devices are used," Mike Concannon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies, said in a statement. The company's United Kingdom-based venture-capital arm, Qualcomm Ventures, also has invested 4 million euros (US$5.1 million) in NFC-technology company Inside Contactless. France-based Inside says Qualcomm would incorporate its NFC chip into at least two designs for chipsets for 3G mobile phones. "The money is nice, but definitely what is important is the commitment of Qualcomm and the [designs] it is bringing to the market," Inside CEO Rémy de Tonnac tells CardLine Global sister publication Cards&Payments. It was unclear whether Qualcomm is working with other NFC-technology companies for its chipset designs. Inside expects the designs in the second half of the year. They would enable mobile-phone makers to more quickly support NFC technology in 3G mobile phones using Qualcomm technology, including phones that require SIM cards and those that do not. Some mobile operators are insisting that the NFC phones they order support SIM cards to store payment, ticketing and other applications. Inside says the investment from Qualcomm Ventures brings total funding for its third round to 31.2 million euros (US$40.1 million). A Qualcomm Ventures spokesperson for was not immediately available for comment.
