Intel, Inside make NFC deal

LONDON – Inside Secure SA, a fabless supplier of near field communications (NFC) chips, has signed a technology transfer agreement to provide Intel Corp. with NFC designs and technologies.

The agreement has a five-year term and gives Intel access to Inside's software, firmware and core hardware technology for development of future Intel products. In addition, Inside will provide Intel’s Mobile Wireless Group with access to scalable NFC solutions based on Inside's MicroRead, SecuRead and Open NFC products.

Intel recently upgraded its membership of the NFC Forum to take on a seat on its board of directors and now has the right to integrate Inside's technology within its SoCs.

Remy de Tonnac, CEO of Inside (Aix-en-Provence, France), said his company would make money out of the deal by way of licensing payments, royalties and development contracts with Intel but declined to say how much the deal might be worth to Inside. "It's no secret that it [NFC technology] will go into PCs and other mobile products such as smartphones and tablets."

While Intel will have the right to develop and integrate Inside's technology into its SoCs the deal is non-exclusive, allowing Inside to cut a similar deal with another company, and Inside will also continue to sell stand-alone NFC chips, de Tonnac said. "The industry has debated how and when NFC integration should happen, but both patterns will co-exist for some time."

"We are building a partnership with Intel," said de Tonnac.