Ticketmaster to roll out NFC ticketing for iPhones and Apple Watches ‘later this year’

Ticketmaster customers will be able to add contactless tickets to Apple Wallet later this year, enabling their tickets to be automatically selected via NFC when they hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a ticket reader. Support for NFC mobile ticketing forms part of SafeTix, a new Ticketmaster service that the company said “leverages new technology to give event owners control over their tickets by tying a unique, identifiable digital ticket to each fan’s mobile phone through an encrypted barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds”.

An Incremental Approach May Be Key to IoT Security

California’s recent IoT security law, mandating minimum security requirements for connected devices, attempts to thwart fraudsters and other bad actors. But while some security experts say the law goes too far, others claim it doesn’t do enough. There are more than 10 billion IoT devices currently in use around the globe and 127 new ones connecting every second, giving fraudsters a massive target. Manufacturers have been researching and implementing more advanced security systems to protect their customers, while governments have been passing legislation to ensure those measures are up to snuff. But just how effective is all of this? Providers may be integrating new security protocols, but not all methods are created equal, said Prasant Mohapatra, professor of computer science and vice chancellor for research at the University of California, Davis. These businesses must double down on security solutions and underlying authentication processes.

Over 90% of data transactions on IoT devices are unencrypted

A new report that looked at millions of connections from IoT devices present on enterprise networks found that over 40% of them do not encrypt their traffic. This means a large number of such devices are exposed to man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks where hackers in a position to intercept traffic can steal or manipulate their data. The new report released today by network security firm Zscaler is based on telemetry data collected from the company's cloud. It covers over 56 million IoT device transactions from 1,051 enterprise networks over the course of a month.

U of A Research Shows Benefits of Imperceptible Barcodes for Cashiers

Two University of Arkansas professors have found that placing imperceptible barcodes on products — to make them scannable on any side — may prevent injuries among cashiers and lead to more retail efficiency. Molly Jensen, a clinical associate professor of marketing in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and Kaitlin Gallagher, an assistant professor of exercise science in the College of Education and Health Professions, began collaborating on the barcode research project in 2016. Their findings were recently published in the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, a leading peer-review journal. The research has implications for workplace safety, retail and marketing, and applied and industrial ergonomics.

FASTag to fast-track rides on Chandigarh-Delhi highway stretch

Commuters passing through the toll plazas on the Chandigarh-Delhi stretch of the National Highway now have the option to avail themselves of cashless payment of toll tax through FASTag and move smoothly through the toll plazas without any halt. The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) facility was launched by National Highways Authority of Indian (NHAI) chief general manager Alok Dipankar, at Dappar toll plaza on Wednesday.

India to mandate QR mobile payments in stores?

The Indian government is looking to mandate a QR code-based payment option using UPI at  all shops and establishments with consumers opting for this method of payment  eligible for GST benefits along with shopkeepers. The measure is intended to promote digital payments as the preferred option. The move follows a goahead by the GST Council before the elections and now the details of the payment mechanism are being worked out at the official level with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) roped in to roll it out nationally.

How Barcode Systems Are Improving Efficiency in Labs

A key challenge facing biotechnology and pharmaceutical laboratories is how they can reduce mislabeling errors, which can be difficult to spot and have a huge impact on a research project. Laboratories that rely on manual sample labeling can suffer from a high rate of human error. It is all too easy for employees to invert numbers, skip a line, misread a number, or use poor handwriting that others cannot read when labeling or tracking samples manually. Barcode labeling is one of the simplest ways to achieve both cost reduction and increased efficiency in the lab, in particular when combined with a good laboratory inventory management system, improve data collection and management, help streamline inventory management and decrease human errors, while enhancing collaboration.

RFID Tracking: Where It Fits in an Entomologist’s Toolbox

Radio frequency identification tracking, commonly known as RFID, is revolutionizing what is possible in entomology, but what is it about this technology used in retail inventory, package tracking, and contactless credit cards that is useful for studying insects? For thousands of years, humans have tried to track insects. Bees were tracked by looking for droppings on leaves. RFID does not allow me to track the full movement trace of an individual over time, but rather it will record whenever an individual passes by the location of an RFID reader.

Manhattan Associates adds RFID inventory tracking to store fulfillment software

Supply chain software developer Manhattan Associates Inc. has launched a store inventory and fulfillment software product that brings internet of things (IoT) tools to bear on omnichannel fulfillment challenges, helping turn retail stores into mini-DCs, the firm said. The product enhances the store inventory tracking and order picking capabilities of Manhattan's existing Store Inventory and Fulfillment (SIF) product by adding support for radio frequency identification (RFID) tag networks that can improve store inventory accuracy and accelerate store order fulfillment, Atlanta-based Manhattan said.

Privatbank to use customised ‘card avatars’ to drive mobile payments adoption

Ukraine’s PrivatBank has become the first in the world to provide customers with a way to customise the design of the cards they add to Google Pay or Apple Pay — beginning with a set of X-Men: Dark Phoenix original designs made available via a licensing deal with movie studio 20th Century Fox. PrivatBank is working with Mastercard on the launch of the service, which is integrated into the latest version of the bank’s Privat24 mobile app and can be applied to any PrivatBank-issued Mastercard.

Erste Bank adds NFC to its QR mobile payments app

Hungarian bank Erste has upgraded its Erste MobilePay application for Android phones to include NFC functionality, enabling customers to use their phones for contactless payment. The service is available with Mastercard and Maestro-branded bank cards and was introduced on 7 May. It is being extended to Visa cards from June.

Global Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Market: Transforming the healthcare industry

The global RFID market is projected to reach USD 27.56 billion by 2025, witnessing a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. Growing demand for security and access control applications, rapid adoption of RFID technology in the retail sector, and emergence of internet of things (IoT), are the factors primarily driving the market growth. In addition, increasing technological advancement has led to the integration of RFID with GPS and IoT, which is expected to create significant opportunities for the market.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless technology used to track and identify information using low-range radio waves transmitted from a small specialized tag to a nearby reader which collects the data. The RFID devices are extensively deployed in the retail sector and find its application as remote scanners for detecting RFID tags on the labels of different products. Furthermore, radio frequency identification offers various solutions such as storage, real-time backup recovery, ease of management & monitoring, elimination of data redundancy, and customer support, among others.


The advent of chipless RFID serves many solutions and has a great potential to substitute the barcodes. The chipless RFID is a wireless data capturing technology that finds its application in many end-use industries such as pharmaceutical, aviation, and retail, among others. Moreover, chipless RFID is deployed to enhance store execution, and upgrade client experience in an addressable way. The rising significance in retail and aviation industry to execute efficient operation is considerably fueling the demand for chipless RFID.

Mexico pilots national NFC and QR mobile payments system

Mexico’s central bank Banxico has begun trials of its cashless QR and NFC Cobro Digital (CoDi) electronic payment system with employees of financial institutions including BBVA Bancomer, Citibanamex, Santander, Banorte, Banregio and Fincomun. The system works by using QR codes to make electronic transfers through mobile phones which are linked to a user’s bank account. For counter sales, the merchant generates a collection message in the form of a static or dynamic QR code or NFC message which is sent to the customer’s mobile.

Five Advantages of RFID for Secure Printing

Print management helps companies control costs, protect confidential information and share expenses fairly between departments. But what's the best identity-authentication solution? Personal identification number (PIN)- or password-based systems are the default and are the most commonly used solution across the industry. But radio frequency identification (RFID) provides significant advantages in security, speed, simplicity, savings and user satisfaction. Here's why more companies are moving to RFID for their print-management needs.

Startup Provides NB-IoT Reindeer Ear Tag for Real-Time Location

Finnish technology startup Anicare is providing its Healtag tracker to be attached to the ears of reindeer so their movements can be tracked across Finland for as long as five years. The solution employs Nordic ID's Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled tag, which is built into an ear tag that can be attached to an animal's ear flap. The tag transmits its unique ID number, along with location data, via what is called narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) for cellular devices.

Expect an RFID traceability program by 2023

The USDA recently released an implementation timeline for beefing up its disease traceability program by transitioning to a 100 percent radio-frequency identification (RFID) system by 2023.
Ideally, within the next four years, the only tags the USDA will recognize as official ID will be approved RFID tags. The metal “brite” tags currently supplied by the USDA will no longer be available.

New RFID Staple Tag for Rough Wood Tracks Timber

While the forestry service provides a use case for UHF RFID technology—tracking each felled tree, or each cut plank from forest to retail—there hasn't been an RFID tag that is uniquely suited for this environment, according to Andrew Frascone, Utility Composites' sales director. Rough wood doesn't lend itself well to adhesives, for instance, so UHF RFID labels could be knocked or blown off, he explains. Tags screwed into the wood can create problems for mills that use cutting equipment where metal is incompatible. They also require several minutes for installation.

RFID in Pharmaceuticals Market is Projected to Expand at a CAGR of Approximately 9.0%

Future Market Insights (FMI), in its new study, finds that the radio-frequency identification (RFID) in pharmaceuticals market was valued at over US$ 950 Mn in 2018, and is estimated to register a Y-o-Y growth at approximately 10% in 2019.  Prospects remain remarkable for the RFID in pharmaceuticals industry, as efficiency-led actions of players continue to enhance the reliability and accuracy of their business operations.

The study finds that drug tracing system remains the most lucrative application of RFID in pharmaceutical industry, accounting for approximately 60% sales. Efforts of the FDA, in collaboration with pharmaceutical suppliers, to maintain a secure drug supply in the wake of rising counterfeit drugs prevalence, has encouraged the pharmaceutical industry to use RFID in combination with the electronic product code (EPC) for real-time tracking, tracing, and authentication of drugs.

According to the study, such preventative measures against infiltration of counterfeit drugs are likely to have a positive economic influence on legitimate companies, who are now focusing on the deployment of anti-counterfeiting solutions. Focus of the organized players in the pharmaceutical sector to safeguard authenticity of their products, while creating moats for counterfeiters, will continue to favour growth of the RFID in pharmaceutical market.

Keyper Biometric Smart Card Features Novel Encrypted Audio Security Factor

MeReal’s latest biometric smart card is a keeper, in the most literal sense of the word. Dubbed the Keyper, the FIDO-certified smart card features fingerprint authentication, a tamper-resistant chip, and a slew of other features designed to make the card as versatile as possible. Those features include Java Card compatibility, which is noteworthy because it means that Java applications that were developed for another smart card can easily be integrated into the Keyper. That, in turn, means that the Keyper can be customized for a wide range of functions, including cryptocurrency, mobile payments, credit card transactions, and digital certificates.

RFID-Blocking Bags and Wallets May Help Your Data Safe While Traveling

There are many acronyms floating around, but one to consider on your upcoming travels is RFID. RFID stands for radio-frequency identification. Certain products (like smartphones or credit cards) transmit electromagnetic fields that have identifiable information, according to How Stuff Works. This allows security information to be embedded within an object rather than stored on it, like a credit card, smartphone, and even your passport.

Only 9% of companies warn employees about IoT risks

IoT-related data breaches specifically caused by an unsecured IoT device or application increased from 15% in 2017 to 26% in the last year, the report found. It's possible that this number is actually larger, as most organizations said they are not aware of every unsecure IoT device or application in their environment, or introduced by third-party vendors, it noted. Despite these risks, only 9% of companies said their organizations currently inform and educate employees and third parties about the dangers created by IoT devices.

Rio de Janeiro metro enables contactless payments

Rio de Janeiro's underground system has rolled out contactless payments in a partnership with Visa and other local and international providers. The technology is in place across all of Metro Rio's 41 stations. The offering is underpinned by Visa's Secure Access Module platform, which allows acceptance of any card, mobile phone or near field communication (NFC)-enabled device and eliminated the need to change the underground operator's current infrastructure at the gates. In this initial phase, the contactless system will only work with Visa credit cards and mobile digital wallets Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

How to Generate QR Codes for Crypto Payments

Businesses and projects in the crypto space have an incentive to facilitate cryptocurrency payments for their customers and users. With QR codes, acquiring a recipient’s address is easy – all it takes is a quick scan with a smartphone. A platform called Cwaqrgen provides a tool to generate codes. Cwaqrgen.com is free for those who need QR codes to accept payments in different cryptocurrencies. You can use it to create a custom QR code for your public address and it supports a great variety of digital assets, including all major coins such as bitcoin cash (BCH), bitcoin core (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and litecoin (LTC).

OAL Connected solution reads data embedded barcodes inline

AL Connected is offering a solution to read newly introduced data embedded barcodes inline. Tesco has recently unveiled these data embedded barcodes on meat products in its Jack’s stores, with an anticipated roll-out to further products and sites, in a bid to reduce food waste. OAL Connected’s label and date code verification solution is the only system currently on the market that can read the information contained within the barcode inline via existing scanners, protecting the packaging line from errors, emergency product withdrawals and product recalls.

eBay opens QR code-powered shop in the UK

eBay opened a brick and mortar concept store in the UK's Wolverhampton. The month-long retail experiment will offer wares from 40 small, local businesses and will host a series of free, interactive workshops. While eBay has opened pop-ups before, this is the first of its kind in the UK, and it's meant to test how physical and online retail might work together. Rather than exchanging cash for goods, customers will make purchases by scanning QR codes.

Zola hails success of NFC tags in NYC pop-up store

US wedding planning and list specialist Zola says using NFC in its bricks and mortar pop-up store in New York City has helped to bring the showroom to life and been well received by its customers who use it to build their wedding gift lists. Zola opened its first store in the Flatiron district of the city in January this year in a pop-up trial that was due to run through to the end of April but has now been extended until June. The store has more than 2,000 gifts on display, each of which has an NFC tag attached allowing couples to scan this rather than a barcode.

InComm integrates prepaid cards with Fitbit, Garmin wearables, adds NFC for retail

InComm Inc. an Atlanta-based payments firm, has announced the integration of its MyVanilla prepaid Mastercard with Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay mobile wallet apps, as well as the addition of near-field communication to the company's retail network. InComm officials said the company has been approached in the past about adding contactless payment capabilities to reduce friction required in customer transactions, and it sees the wearables and NFC additions as ways to encourage greater use of mobile wallets.

Apple announces support for Apple Pay NFC stickers

Apple’s VP of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey announced a new NFC feature for iPhone: special tags that trigger Apple Pay purchases when tapped, without the need to download a special app first. The company is partnering with Bird scooters, Bonobos clothing store, and PayByPhone parking meters for the initial rollout. Apple also announced that inside the Wallet app, users will soon be able to sign up for loyalty cards in one tap, presumably presented to users as recommendations when they make eligible purchases.

The Most Impactful IoT Announcement From Microsoft Build 2019

CEO Satya Nadella kicked off the event with a keynote covering updates on a wide range of topics from Windows and collaboration to Azure cloud services to HoloLens and Xbox technologies. However, when it comes to IoT, one announcement stood out because it directly addresses a challenge that hampers every IoT project and that the industry has been wrangling with for some time. The new initiative is called IoT Plug and Play, and Microsoft hopes that developers will adopt this standard as a universal interface for connecting devices.

Leveraging RFID user authentication and access control for material handling equipment

Powered material handling equipment such as forklifts, cranes, scissor lifts and industrial trucks are expensive to buy and maintain. They also can be serious safety risks if untrained personnel are allowed to operate them. That’s why manufacturing, distribution and warehouse operations managers need easy, cost-effective solutions to restrict access to valuable and dangerous equipment. User authentication and access control systems ensure that only people with the proper training and authorization can operate equipment within the facility.

How to Turn off NFC: Remove the N Symbol from your Phone

The top bar on your Android phone doesn't only tell you the time, signal strength and how much battery life remains. The notification bar can also tell you when email arrives, downloads are happening, and when Bluetooth is switched on. One symbol you might not instantly recognise is an N symbol. The ornate N is there to let you know that your phone currently has NFC switched on. NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a technology that allows devices to exchange information simply by placing them next to one another. Smartphones use NFC to pass photos, contacts, or any other data you specify between NFC-enabled handsets.

Apparel is Finding RFID’s Utility Beyond Inventory Management

Radio frequency identification technology (RFID) has helped many apparel businesses improve their inventory performance, but as these deployments mature, they’re finding additional use cases for the technology. Today, many leading retailers view RFID as indispensable to their operations, especially where omnichannel is concerned. In fact, 92 percent of North American retailers are “progressing toward full implementation'.

RFID vs. Bluetooth: Battle of Vehicle Trackers

U.S. dealers annually have sold 17 million vehicles or more for four years straight. By any definition, that’s a lot of inventory. Which begs the question. How do dealerships keep track of these assets in a dynamic business where vehicles are frequently sold, serviced or otherwise moved? New cars are “things” we refer to as inventory, and those things can be better managed with the right vehicle-locator technology. Two of the most common wireless technologies used are RFID and Bluetooth. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of an RFID system is in its overall cost, which is high compared to Bluetooth.

Delta Hotels Dallas Allen implements RFID door locks

The Delta Hotels Dallas Allen, a newly constructed property located in Allen, Texas, has implemented VingCard Signature radio frequency ID locks from Assa Abloy Global Solutions. Property-management company Altera Development decided to adopt the RFID-based door locks because of the highest security technology standards. With operations and strategic partnerships in more than 166 countries, Assa Abloy was able to meet the hotel's local support needs during the implementation. This resulted in an expedient installation and a seamless training process for staff.

RFID system to track books

The Central District Library has introduced radio frequency identification system (RFID) to ensure the safekeeping of the books for the first time in Tamil Nadu. This technology, which is available in universities and academic libraries, has been in use here for the last few months. Speaking to The Hindu, A.P. Shivakumar, District Library Officer, says that the technology was brought to ensure that books were taken out of the library after being checked out properly.

RFID-blocking products are practically worthless. Here’s why

We’ve all heard of RFID skimming right? It’s where criminals with RFID readers sneak up behind us and scan the credit card or passport in our pocket or bag to steal information they can use for fraudulent transactions or identity theft. The threat of RFID skimming has given rise to an enormous industry of RFID-blocking products. It’s a standard feature in smart wallets, and you can even buy shirts and jeans with RFID blocking pockets built in. The question is: Are they worth buying? “No, they’re a waste of money,” Roger Grimes, data-driven defense evangelist at KnowBe4, told Digital Trends. “You shouldn’t spend one cent. There has still to this day not been a report of a single real-world crime that an RFID blocking product would have stopped.”

This $72 aluminum wallet is built to last a lifetime

Designed to carry everything you need and nothing you don't, The Ridge Wallet features a durable aluminum body, elastic straps that expand to hold up to 12 cards, and your choice of a cash strap or money clip on the back. The wallet also boasts RFID-blocking technology to keep tech-savvy thieves from accessing your bank accounts or stealing your identity. Your cards slide into the wallet at the top and can be accessed by pushing up on the cut out at the bottom. They'll come out in a fanning motion and can be more easily accessed by pinching the bottom of the wallet.

UK plans new law aimed at improving Internet of Things security

The U.K. government is proposing new legislation aimed at improving security of Internet of Things devices. Digital minister Margot James MP revealed the draft law on Wednesday as part of the government’s efforts to protect millions of internet-connected devices from cyberattacks. The law will mandate that internet-connected devices, like smart thermostats, appliances and webcams, must be sold with a unique password.

Everything Could Be Part of the IoT with a New RFID system

Frying pans, pill bottles, canes, coffee cups, and countless other nonelectronic objects could be turned into a network of Internet of Things sensors with a new RFID-based technology from the University of Michigan. The system, called IDAct, bridges the gap between the estimated 14.2 billion 'smart' electronic devices currently thought by some to be part of the IoT and the hundreds of billions of everyday 'stupid' objects left out of the picture. UM researchers say it’s a key step toward creating an immersive IoT experience. “Imagine a world where your pill bottle track your medication intake and a water glass monitors your hydration levels,” says engineering professor Alanson Sample. “Even your yoga mat is aware of your exercises and could adjust lighting, temperature, and background music accordingly.”

Here's why Huron-Clinton Metroparks passes now have a barcode

Warm weather is on the horizon across Michigan, and that means people will take to the outdoors at their favorite locations, which could include the Huron-Cinton Metroparks. This year, those with annual passes to the Metroparks may have noticed something different on their annual pass...a barcode. According to the group, the passes will now be scanned at the tollbooth any time you enter a Metropark. That's so they can track the ZIP codes the pass users are coming from and which Metroparks they are visiting to create better experiences, amenities and much more.

QR Codes are Even More Relevant in 2019

Despite having been around for decades and receiving much media attention, QR codes never became the revolutionary mobile marketing tool that businesses and marketers had hoped. When Apple added native support QR code scanning in its iOS 11 the promise of the technology was renewed. This game-changing move allows QR codes to be scanned on Apple devices directly through the camera app. And the fact that the QR code feature is in the control settings enables ease of use. The latest Android smartphones have also made QR code scanning a native feature. This addresses the major barrier for QR code use in Western markets.

New RFID Shield Installs Like Wallpaper

Several large retailers have deployed a new RF shielding solution from Avery Dennison that can be applied to walls, doors and barriers like wallpaper, thereby isolating RFID tag reads to specific areas. With the product, known as ShieldSense RFID Blocking Material, companies can identify whether tagged goods are in a store's front area or back room, or in a specific fitting room, as well as combat shrinkage, by identifying where tags were last detected. The product is designed for UHF RFID transmissions, but can also isolate HF and NFC transmissions.

Sainsbury’s opens UK’s first checkout-free supermarket

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has launched the UK’s first till-free grocery store, with the pilot being used to help develop the company’s SmartShop Scan, Pay & Go technology which allows shoppers to pay via their smartphone. The trial is taking place at the company’s refurbished Holborn Circus convenience store in London where all tills and checkout areas have been removed.

RFID Payment Ring Made from Dissolved Credit Card

RFID payment systems are one of those things that the tech community seems to be divided on. Some only see the technology as a potential security liability, and will go a far as to disable the RFID chip in their card so that it can’t be read by a would-be attacker. Others think the ease and convenience of paying for goods by tapping their card or smartphone on the register more than makes up for the relatively remote risk of RFID sniffers. Given the time and effort David Sikes put into creating this contactless payment ring, we think it’s pretty clear which camp he’s in.

Taipei Metro rolls out QR mobile ticketing

Passengers traveling on the Taoyuan metro line will be able to pay their fares using a mobile app, starting Wednesday, the management company said Saturday. The mobile ticketing app, which was introduced on a trial basis last December, will become fully operational for all 21 stations on the line that stretches from Taipei Main Station to Huanbei in Taoyuan City, according to a statement issued by Taoyuan Metro Corporation (TMC).

RFID tag works on metal packaging, even with liquids

RFID tags can now be read without problems on metal packaging. On-Metal UHF radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags have been optimized for more effective tagging of challenging products and materials. The configuration incorporates an inlay design and label construction intended to address performance limitations for metal packaging, packaging containing liquid, metal packaging that contains liquid and more.