Report: Apple in talks with Microlatch on fingerprint tech
Reports suggest that Apple may be working with Australian firm Microlatch to incorporate fingerprint technology into mobile payment systems.
Biosecurity firm Microlatch is rumored to be in talks with Apple to introduce fingerprint technology on future products to secure mobile payment via near field communication (NFC).
The news was first reported by The Australian.
David Murray, former head of the Commonwealth Bank and lead investor of the Australian firm, told the publication Microlatch owns patented technology that meets rigorous banking security standards. According to Murray, the technology does not need central processing or storage, describing the biometric technology as "self-registering."
"There have been acquisitions that suggest that people are positioning themselves around these biosecurity products securing mobile phones in a far more satisfactory way for people," Murray commented, according to Apple Insider.
Details of the rumored agreement remain undisclosed, but Apple is no doubt interested in the potential of mobile payment systems and biometrics. Earlier this year, the Cupertino, Calif., company purchased Authentec, which develops fingerprint sensors and identity management software for mobile devices for $356 million. Key to the move was Authentec's "Smart Sensor" fingerprint reader, which not only boosts security but also lets a user launch different features on a gadget depending on which finger is used.
NFC remains a hot topic in the industry, but Apple elected not to integrate the technology in the recently launched iPhone 5. However, Apple's recent acquisition combined with the Microlatch report suggests that future devices are destined to include some kind of biometric features.