A study has suggested that Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled smartphones have the potential to revolutionise the access control industry in the coming years.
NFC is an emerging technology for consumers and is already available on a relatively small amount of mobile phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Sony Xperia S.
The NFC Forum, established by manufacturers including Nokia and Sony back in 2004, describes NFC as technology that renders life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content and connect electronic devices with a touch.
IMS Research is optimistic about the potential of this technology in the security arena.
In a statement announcing the publication of itsnew study, the market analyst said: “For physical access control, the use of NFC-enabled smart phones has the potential to redefine the concept of the credential and revolutionise the access control industry.”
Pilot programmes undertaken
The US researcher estimates that around 2.3% of the smartphones sold in 2011 were NFC-enabled, but this number is expected to rise quickly to 20% in 2014 and to 44% by 2016 – that’s equivalent to 918 million handsets.
Last year, several NFC pilot programmes were undertaken in locations including American university buildings using smartphones for physical access control.
Instead of the standard access control cards employed in offices and universities around the world, students were able to use their NFC-enabled smartphones to access buildings.
IMS Research said that the pace at which NFC is adopted for the purpose of physical access control will vary by region due to factors including the number of smartphones that are NFC-enabled, the participation of local mobile network operators and the involvement of security companies.
Firms such as HID have already awoken to the potential of NFC, while smaller concerns like ECKey are already producing and distributing smartphone access control systems.
Enjoy the latest fire and security news, updates and expert opinions sent straight to your inbox with IFSEC Insider's essential weekly newsletters. Subscribe today to make sure you're never left behind by the fast-evolving industry landscape.
Sign up now!
