HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, Samsung, SE adopt Isis

The upcoming Isis mobile payment standard got a major lift on Tuesday with word that most major smartphone manufacturers planned to support it. HTC, LG, Motorola, RIM, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson all promised to make their current or future NFC-equipped phones work with the standard. DeviceFidelity would also help add NFC to those devices that don't have it built-in.

Timetables weren't given and will depend on when the individual phones themselves are ready. Isis is due for an initial rollout in 2012 starting with Austin.

The adoption across the smartphone world is critical to Isis as it will guarantee ubiquitous access on most phones once NFC is commonplace. Google is likely to get support for Google Wallet on multiple devices and operating systems in the future but has already launched with just one Android phone and one carrier.

Apple is conspicuously absent from the group. DeviceFidelity might add the feature through an add-on device and app but would still leave Apple with a less integrated option. The iPhone maker has been silent on whether it will use NFC. Conflicting rumors have at once supported and cast doubt on the iPhone 5 getting NFC and might leave it until 2012 if it arrives at all. Those that support it coming have suggested Apple might use iTunes accounts to process payments, but haven't said much else.

By Electronista Staff