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Nov. 15, 2007

Yesterday, Sony and NXP Semiconductors said they are setting up a joint venture to sell contactless IC (integrated circuit) chips that will enable consumers in using their cell phones as a virtual wallet.

Sony's joint venture, called Moversa, will plan, develop, produce and market a U-SAM (Universal Secure Access Module) that incorporates both companies' contactless chip formats MIFARE.

Additionally, Sony and NXP's U-SAM will support other contactless operating systems and applications based on customer's specific requirements.

The two companies said in a joint statement that MIFARE and FeliCa are two of the most widely used formats in secure contactless chips embedded in access cards, as well as mobile phones which double as electronic wallets.

Marc de Jong, executive v.p. and general manager at NXP Semiconductors said "Moversa signals the next step in the evolution of contactless technologies."

"Combining multiple contactless technologies in a single secure chip opens a vast array of opportunities for service providers to roll out great new services to consumers on a global scale, from using your handset as a credit card, to making online purchases and paying for public transportation," said de Jong.

Moversa's new headquarters will be located in Vienna, Austria.

Moversa will be led by co-presidents Guus Frericks of NXP, and Toshio Yoshihara of Sony-Japan.

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Source: Wireless Week