Analyst Claims No NFC in Next-Generation iPhone

iphone visa mobile payment
The on-again off-again rumors around Apple including Near Field Communications (NFC) in the next iteration of the iPhone took an off-again turn this morning in a research note from Bernstein, courtesy of Business Insider. According to the report, Bernstein analysts claim that the next iPhone will not have mobile payment support via NFC. From Business Insider:

Apple's next iPhone, said to be called the 4S, will not have the mobile payment support through NFC (near field communication) says Bernstein in a note this morning.

We don't have the full note, just highlights from a Bloomberg terminal.

NFC in the iPhone would allow users to pay for things by waving their phone at the register or get airline tickets electronically and check in with a wave of the iPhone. The technology has not, however, taken off yet in the United States to the degree that it has in other areas of the world, and Apple may still see the inclusion of NFC capabilities in the iPhone as premature for either technical or logistical reasons.

Most indications suggest the next version of the iPhone, rumored to be called the iPhone 4S, won't be a sea-change device like the jump from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 was, although the inclusion of NFC could be an important enhancement should Apple choose to adopt it. Rumors of Apple including NFC in the next iPhone have been the subject of a seemingly endless back-and-forth, and while it appears that NFC will be included in some future iPhone revision, there is scant evidence that the next-generation iPhone in particular will have the technology. The New York Times claimed in March that Apple will include NFC in a "coming iteration" of the iPhone, but stopped short of declaring when that inclusion is scheduled to take place.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...

Top Rated Comments

Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
180 months ago
I find talk about the next generation iPhone itself confusing. Half the time I don't know if they're referencing the iPhone 4S or the iPhone 5. Thankfully this article clarified toward the end.

Personally, I don't care what they put in the iPhone 4S because it's going to be a minor spec bump anyhow. I'll wait for the iPhone 5, which I suspect will be released in mid-2012. I'm sure that will be a leap forward, as opposed to a minor revision. I hope I'm right...

I hate to break it to ya bud. The iPhone 4S is the iPhone 5. I don't understand how everyone is so confused.

iPhone -> iPhone 3G(because 3G network) -> iPhone 3GS(same but added speed) - iPhone 4 (because the 4th gen iPhone)

Even if they do release an iPhone 4S (for speed) the next one would be an iPhone 6. Or an iPhone LTE. Or an iPhone NFC. Or an iPhone nano-ray.

It would most certainly not be call iPhone 5 when it is the 6th generation. Sorry, ppl's ignorance on this topic bugs me. Especially ppl that should know better
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topmounter Avatar
180 months ago
Ever stand behind a women at a checkout, shes talking on the phone while she is being rung up. After everything is charged, only then does she start to dig in her ginormous shoulder bag and look for her wallet. The wallet is the size of Blackberry Playbook, then she thumbs through a gazillion credit cards till she finds the one she wants. She already has the phone out.

I don't see the average chit-chat obsessed nit-wit having the presence of mind to detach the phone from the side of their head any faster than they can dig a card out of their sack.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrisfromalbany Avatar
180 months ago
I can't see them waiting a year and half to release a new version and not have major changes. Whether it is the screen or NFC or something else. Just been too long with this product cycle to just do a 4S with minor changes.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dustinsc Avatar
180 months ago
I'd be willing to bet (no more than about $15) that the next iPhone WILL have an NFC chip. My reasoning is that every new iPhone tends to have another sensor built in. iPhone 3G got GPS, 3GS got a compass, 4 got a front-facing camera and a gyroscope. An NFC chip would fit that pattern, even if it's functionality is still primarily latent (like the gyroscope, which didn't have any killer apps on launch).

P.S. For you nit-picky types, I know that NFC isn't really a sensor, but I still think it fits the same basic pattern.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
180 months ago
Starting to wonder why another iPhone is even coming out.

Hmmm lemme think. even assuming the iphone retains 100% of its dimensions, no NFC, and no LTE I can still think of...

More RAM (1GB)
Faster, dual core processor (A5)
longer battery life
8.0 Megapixel camera
HD facetime camera
HSPA+ (a 4G network) support
combined chip to accomodate VZ and at&t (amoung others internationally)
sprint & t-mobile support (for US)
Louder speakers
improved reception
More profit (you can't stop releasing products just because there is no dramatic technology to unveil. ppl would stop buying iPhones)

Those are just a few things that I thought up, based on some assumptions. I'm sure Apple can add even more than that
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kirk26 Avatar
180 months ago
I don't understand what all the hub-bub is about when it comes to NFC... Are there any retailers in the US that actually have NFC installed?

The fact is the USA is years behind in cell phone technology compared to Asia and Europe.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)