Microsoft, which only recently figured out how to do cut and paste with WP7, is apparently planning to equip its next-gen smartphones with NFC (near field communication) technology.
The embedded feature would allow users to pay for items in participating stores simply by bumping or waving a Windows Phone 7 device against a compatible cash register.
According to Bloomberg, the NFC-enabled smartphones are all part of Redmond’s cunning plan to “narrow” Android’s wide, wide lead in the lucrative smartphone market.
Indeed, Microsoft is only projected to claim a paltry 5.5% of the mobile OS market in 2011, compared to Android’s whopping 39.5%, Apple’s impressive 15.9% and BlackBerry’s respectable 14.9%.
As expected, Redmond’s NFC efforts will be bolstered by its recent deal (read payoff) with Nokia, which has confirmed that Symbian-based NFC smartphones will be standard by the end of 2011.
Although NFC-enabled WP7 devices could arrive as early as this year, Microsoft will likely continue to play catch up with Apple and Google, as both industry heavyweights are reportedly planning to debut NFC smartphones in the very near future.
Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d probably feel way more secure waving around an iPhone or Android device than a Microsoft-powered handset.
How about you? Would you feel comfortable using a Microsoft smartphone to go shopping? Seriously, what could go wrong?!?!
Shhh. No blue screen of death comments!
