Near Field Communications Handsets and Tags, NFC Pilots and Projects

Apple shows interest in NFC product info app

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Apple has made public a patent detailing an NFC-enabled iPhone application that would allow customers to receive information on the products they’re shopping quickly and easily, according to Apple Insider.

The 83-page document, titled “System and Method for Providing Content Associated with a Product or Service,” describes how the new “Products +” app could help customers make more informed decisions about the every day products they buy.

For example, a customer shopping for a new TV can use ‘Products +’ to instantly gain access to customer reviews, the owner’s manual, warranty information, and even launch relevant YouTube videos. Additionally, the app would allow users to hunt around for better prices at local stores, or find a better deal online.

Apple Insider also sees potential for ‘Products +’ in the restaurant industry, where users can scan menu items for nutritional information, or access a list of upcoming events at the location (live musical entertainment dates, promotions, etc.) and add those events directly onto the iPhone’s calendar. Restaurants could also use the app to replace promotional games like McDonald’s Monopoly with digital versions, or offer coupons and rewards.

In education, the app could work with textbooks to access supplementary problems, find answers to problems found in a book, download instructional videos including interviews with the author, or buy additional materials.

Read more here. [end] 

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