Near Field Communication Forum and Bluetooth SIG Establish a Formal Liaison Relationship

The Two Groups Will Pursue Collaborative Development and Interoperability Enhancement

WAKEFIELD, Mass.--()--The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the trade association responsible for the development, promotion, and protection of the Bluetooth® specification and brand, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable the two organizations to work more closely together, via a formal liaison relationship.

The NFC Forum and the Bluetooth SIG have collaborated previously, most recently in the creation of a developers' guide entitled "Bluetooth Secure Simple Pairing Using NFC," which was jointly published as an Application Document available to the public. Under the new agreement, the two organizations will work together to update and maintain the Application Document to accommodate Bluetooth Smart products using the Low Energy feature of the Bluetooth specification. They may also evaluate the feasibility of incorporating NFC technology testing that utilizes Bluetooth technology into interoperability events hosted by both organizations.

The agreement also calls for the two organizations to evaluate opportunities to enhance interoperability and the user experience of devices that use their technologies.

NFC and Bluetooth are complementary wireless technologies that can be designed to work in concert in certain use cases. For example, manufacturers have the flexibility to use NFC technology in conjunction with Bluetooth Secure Simple Pairing (SSP) by supporting both negotiated and static handover between Bluetooth devices, such as wireless headsets, personal health devices, smartphones, cars, and TVs.

"With 400 million NFC-enabled devices deployed in the market this year, and nearly one billion predicted by 2016, the time is opportune for the NFC Forum to build on its very productive working relationship with the Bluetooth SIG," said Paula Hunter, NFC Forum Executive Director. "We look forward to expanding on our accomplishments, in order to achieve enhanced benefits for consumers and new opportunities for NFC Forum and Bluetooth SIG members, as well as contributing to the growth of the marketplace as a whole."

"With 20,000 member companies shipping about three billion Bluetooth enabled devices around the world this year, and an installed base projected to be over eight billion devices by 2016, the Bluetooth SIG is committed to providing developers the flexibility to efficiently leverage complementary technologies to delight their end-users," said Chuck Sabin, director of product management of the Bluetooth SIG. "As the low-power link of the Internet of Things, Bluetooth is growing aggressively in diverse use cases that can benefit from the collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and NFC Forum."

About Bluetooth Wireless Technology

Bluetooth wireless technology is the global wireless standard enabling simple, secure connectivity for an expanding range of devices and serves as the backbone of the connected world. Bluetooth Smart branded devices, through an updatable platform and low power consumption, create new application opportunities for the mobile phone, consumer electronics, PC, automotive, health and fitness, and smart home industries. With three billion devices shipping annually, Bluetooth is the wireless technology of choice for developers, product manufacturers, and consumers worldwide. Backed by industry-leading companies, the Bluetooth SIG empowers over 20,000 member companies to collaborate, innovate, and guide Bluetooth wireless technology. For more information, please visit www.bluetooth.com.

About Near Field Communication Technology

NFC technology makes 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. A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as access control, consumer electronics, health care, information collection and exchange, loyalty and coupons, payments, and transport. NFC technology is supported by the world's leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum (http://www.nfc-forum.org) was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 190 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability. The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Broadcom Corporation, Google, Inc., Intel, MasterCard Worldwide, NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

Contacts

NFC Forum Public Relations
Ruth Cassidy, +1 617-957-8494
ruth.cassidy@nfc-forum.org
or
INK Public Relations
Blair Poloskey, +1 512-382-8983
blair@inc-pr.com

Release Summary

The NFC Forum and the Bluetooth SIG have signed a formal liaison agreement enabling the two groups to work more closely together on interoperability and other areas, benefiting consumers and industry.

Contacts

NFC Forum Public Relations
Ruth Cassidy, +1 617-957-8494
ruth.cassidy@nfc-forum.org
or
INK Public Relations
Blair Poloskey, +1 512-382-8983
blair@inc-pr.com