NFC Forum Defines Card Emulation Device Class Specification for Low-Cost Wearable Solutions

The NFC Forum unveiled a new NFC Device Class specification that provides device manufacturers and OEMs with a miniature, low-cost, sustainable solution for wireless wearable devices. The Card Emulation (CE) Device class is the first of its kind answering an industry need for wearable devices that provide basic functionality and longer battery life in a tiny footprint while maintaining interoperability with the current NFC ecosystem.

Qorvo announced that it completed MFi certification of interoperability for its Ultra-Wideband (UWB) solutions with the Apple U1 chip used in supported iPhone and Apple Watch models. Qorvo UWB solutions comply with the Nearby Interaction accessory protocol and allow developers to easily design new commercial UWB-enabled accessories. The company also announced a fully integrated Ultra-Wideband (UWB) module that enables robust UWB implementation in automation, safety, and industrial systems.

Rohde & Schwarz joined the FiRa Consortium as an associate member. FiRa, short for "fine ranging," is an organization dedicated to growing the UWB ecosystem by ensuring interoperability between multiple devices through compliance and certification programs. By joining the FiRa Consortium, Rohde & Schwarz contributes to the organization’s efforts to establish a certification program for UWB devices. Rohde & Schwarz brings along a broad expertise in mobile device testing and certification

The evidence about how important the Apple Watch is comes from many other recent announcements, including some made at the MWC 2015 in Barcelona. Security, IoT interoperability, wearables, computer vision, communications infrastructure, and ultra-low power connectivity were some of the trends at MWC 2015. It's not by chance that, all those things are effectively combined on the Apple Watch and Apple's current roadmap.