Google and NXP integrate NFC in Android 2.3

BANGALORE, INDIA:Today NXP Semiconductors N.V. has announced a strategic collaboration with Google to provide a complete open source software stack for Near Field Communications (NFC). 

The NFC stack will be fully integrated and validated on Gingerbread, the latest version of the Android platform. Google also integrated NXP’s NFC controller (PN544) into its newly launched Nexus STM phone, co-developed by Google and Samsung, offering users access to compelling NFC based services and applications said a press release.

The release further added, these game-changing moves immediately bring the richness of NFC to the consumer and developer and device manufacturing communities around the world.

With over 100,000 applications and an extensive community of developers, Android is a growing player in the smartphone and mobile device world. With developers now able to access an open source NFC implementation, NXP will help drive the development of new, exciting and creative applications that extend the touch interface of mobile applications beyond the devices screen added the release.

“Android's openness has provided a great platform for accelerated innovations,” said Eric Chu, Mobile Platforms Program Manager, Google. 

He added, “we are always looking for creative ways to enhance and extend the utilities of mobile devices with new technologies.  With NXP's contribution, the introduction of NFC in Android provides developers, service providers, and device manufacturers a game-changing opportunity to deliver new services while enabling users to interact with each other and the physical world in ways previously not possible.”

“Although only two years old, industry analysts are already suggesting that Android will be the number two mobile platform by 2014. Google’s adoption of the technology will be a catalyst for the industry to drive the further adoption of NFC at both the handset and application levels,” said Ruediger Stroh, executive vice president and general manager, Identification Business, NXP Semiconductors. 

“Open source development environments will push the boundaries of innovation and drive revolutionary new services and applications for mobile devices,” added Stroh.