The rumor mill is going at full speed with only five days until Apple’s September 9th media event.
This time, the Wall Street Journal has stated that Apple’s next iPhone and its anticipated wearable “iWatch” will support near-field communications technology to enable wireless payments, while the “iWatch” is also said to sport a curved OLED display.
According to AppleInsider, The Journal cited unnamed sources familiar with the unannounced devices. Both the “iWatch” and the “iPhone 6” are expected to be unveiled at an Apple media event next Tuesday.
Thursday’s report also reaffirmed claims that the “iWatch” will come in two different sizes, and that it will sport a curved OLED display. In addition to NFC for wireless payments, the device is also expected to track and interpret health and fitness data.
One source familiar with the project reportedly said there is “no way” that the wearable Apple device will launch this year. Recent reports have pegged the anticipated device for an early 2015 launch.
Reports first began to surface last week that Apple may be ready to relent on its long-held resistance to NFC technology. It’s expected that the forthcoming iPhone and “iWatch” will securely store users’ credit card data to allow authorization of transactions at brick-and-mortar stores without the need to carry a credit card.
Following that information, it’s also been rumored that the “iWatch” will feature a new secure enclave to store credit card information. He suggested that the e-wallet functionality would be restricted to new NFC-capable hardware, and would not be available on legacy devices like the iPhone 5s which lack NFC functionality.
Supposedly backing up these rumors are purported “iPhone 6” schematics and component “leaks” that suggest support for an NFC-compliant chip. No hardware leaks for the anticipated “iWatch” have surfaced yet, as the device is not believed to be in production.
This past weekend, reports surfaced claiming that Apple has reached deals with American Express, Visa, and MasterCard for its anticipated mobile payment service, bringing the world’s top credit card companies onboard for an apparently imminent launch.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.