Paris – The SD Association (SDA)
today announced a new collaboration with GlobalPlatform to include smart-chip
technology in SD standards to enable mobile phones and other portable CE
devices to provide authentication services with SD memory cards.
SDA said standardized authentication
services on SD and MicroSD memory cards “would transform consumers’ mobile
phones and CE devices into electronic wallets carrying cashless currency and
paperless identification for use in making everyday purchases such as groceries
or train tickets, or in receiving customized subscription services like mobile
television.”
The new standard would provide
consumers with greater security than Cloud-based solutions, the association
said, since smart-chip-enabled SD memory cards would only be active in an
authorized device.
“SD standards are proven to drive
new applications in consumer electronics. The association’s strategy is to
leverage SD standards to create opportunities in new markets, clearing market
hurdles of price, size limitations and security, and enabling new technologies,
” said Norm Frentz, SD Association president. “Collaborating with
GlobalPlatform complements and accelerates our plans to support near-field
technology and gives device manufacturers and anyone providing content or
service to consumers the turnkey to mass market mobile commerce and smart IDs.”
Joseph Unsworth, research
director with Gartner, said, “Using the SD interface, with its ubiquitous
presence of MicroSD memory cards and SD-slotted devices, gives manufacturers,
service providers and consumers of smart cards and smart card applications
considerable momentum. Service and content providers, as well as CE
manufacturers, could use the SD interface to offer new value-added services
that are standardized and secure and use near-field communications to
authenticate transactions and identity. SD standards are already supported in
at least 80 percent of all mobile phones with removable memory to enrich mobile
phone features and services.
The SDA and GlobalPlatform both
said they are committed to a spec that is backward-compatible with SD-enabled
devices.
In a statement, the association
listed a number of business scenarios that would be enabled by a secure SD
standard, including:
•Mobile commerce. Consumers will
use CE devices equipped with smart MicroSD cards as cashless currency,
authorizing secure financial transfers to buy everything from groceries to
subway fare and restaurant meals.
•Customized services. Content and
service providers can customize features, offers and rewards automatically,
eliminating manual entry of customer identifiers such as account or rewards
card numbers. Car navigation services could provide customized concierge
services including special pricing, reservations, coupons and other offers from
locations near the car or at the destination. Airlines could automatically
review customer accounts for upgrade and other frequent flier rewards
•Secure access/Personal ID. Integrating smart SD memory cards into mobile
devices makes ID and access solutions flexible and customizable to suit
multiple applications.
•Secure voice. Smart MicroSD cards can support hardware
encrypted voice services, a proven security method used by potential new
markets for SD standards, including government, emergency services and
corporations.
For more information about SDA or
to join, visit the association’s
.
