Analyst Claims No NFC in Next-Generation iPhone
The on-again off-again rumors around Apple including Near Field Communications (NFC) in the next iteration of the iPhone took an off-again turn this morning in a research note from Bernstein, courtesy of Business Insider. According to the report, Bernstein analysts claim that the next iPhone will not have mobile payment support via NFC. From Business Insider:
Apple's next iPhone, said to be called the 4S, will not have the mobile payment support through NFC (near field communication) says Bernstein in a note this morning.
We don't have the full note, just highlights from a Bloomberg terminal.
NFC in the iPhone would allow users to pay for things by waving their phone at the register or get airline tickets electronically and check in with a wave of the iPhone. The technology has not, however, taken off yet in the United States to the degree that it has in other areas of the world, and Apple may still see the inclusion of NFC capabilities in the iPhone as premature for either technical or logistical reasons.
Most indications suggest the next version of the iPhone, rumored to be called the iPhone 4S, won't be a sea-change device like the jump from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 was, although the inclusion of NFC could be an important enhancement should Apple choose to adopt it. Rumors of Apple including NFC in the next iPhone have been the subject of a seemingly endless back-and-forth, and while it appears that NFC will be included in some future iPhone revision, there is scant evidence that the next-generation iPhone in particular will have the technology. The New York Times claimed in March that Apple will include NFC in a "coming iteration" of the iPhone, but stopped short of declaring when that inclusion is scheduled to take place.
Popular Stories
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The third-party Apple retailer said that MacBook Pro stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with...
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
