Here is your daily Apple rumors roundup for Friday. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock news and rumors hint further at near field communication technology improvements for the iPhone and even remote Mac app access. Also, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) makes strides against Apple in mobile ads.
NFC Technology Still Planned for iPhone 5: The Independent‘s recent report that Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone would not in fact feature near field communication technology may have been premature. In a Friday report, Forbes‘ Elizabeth Woyke said that the iPhone 5 will indeed include the communication technology that will transform the smartphone into a mobile wallet used for mobile payments at businesses like Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX). Woyke cited “an entrepeneur working on a top-secret NFC project” as her source, claiming that NFC reader manufacturers have increased production in anticipation of a summer iPhone 5 release.
Remote Mac App Access Coming With NFC Technology: In other news about Apple’s introduction of near field communication to its iOS handhelds, Cult of Mac reported on Friday that NFC technology will be used for more than just mobile payments. According to its unnamed source, an NFC-enabled iPhone can be paired with a Mac computer allowing for remote log-in to that machine as well as access to Mac App Store purchases. The Mac App Store apps will then appear in the paired iPhone’s menu, but don’t have to be downloaded. Documents created on either machine when within range of the NFC device will be automatically uploaded to the user’s MobileMe profile as well. Temporary files and apps are subsequently deleted from paired machines once the NFC connection is broken. Pretty neat.
Android Almost Doubles iOS Mobile Ad Share: Mobile advertising network Millennial Media, the third leading mobile advertising network behind Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Apple’s iAD, issued its monthly traffic report on Friday. The group said that of the 90 million smartphone users its ads reach, more than half are using Google Android powered handhelds. While Android phones accounted for 51% of total mobile advertisement impressions served, Apple’s iOS platform accounted for just 27%. In a surprising turn, both platforms saw their shares decrease. Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) share actually rose by 3% however for a total market share of 14%. Apple’s iPad is still host to the vast majority of advertising impressions served on tablet PCs with an 80% share. Google machines like the Samsung Galaxy Tab trail with just 17% of the tablet advertising market.
As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at @ajohnagnello and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook.
