NFC Forum Member Spotlight: Len Ott, Socket Mobile

What first brought you and Socket Mobile to the NFC Forum?

At Socket Mobile, we wanted to ensure our new RFID and NFC reader has the best, most up-to-date standards in the NFC space, and the best way to do that was to join the NFC Forum. We are looking forward to exploring the different ways to get involved and exploring those initiatives to see where Socket Mobile is most fit to contribute.

What does Socket Mobile do?

Socket Mobile’s data capture devices connect over Bluetooth and work with applications running on smartphones, mobile computers, and tablets. In addition, our software developer kits (SDKs) enable mobile application developers to integrate products into their applications. Primarily we work with barcodes, but recently we came out with our NFC reader product which started shipping this year. We are really excited about diving deeper into the NFC space with this new venture and believe that the NFC Forum will help us learn even more about the industry.

How does Socket Mobile innovate with NFC technology?

We are innovating the way developers use NFC within their applications. We have been doing this with barcode scanning for years, and now we are extending our existing SDK to cover NFC technology too. Whether it is on an iOS device, Android device or Windows device, we make NFC technology available in any way that matches their developmental environment.

What have you enjoyed most about the NFC Forum Member Meeting?

What I have enjoyed most of the NFC Forum Member Meeting is getting to network with the other players in the NFC world. It is good to see some of the different companies that are here – some I did not expect, and some I expected. It has been a real eye opener finding out who is involved and to learn about who is pushing the technology forward.

Everyone seems to want to talk about the technology, and loves doing it too! I have heard from several different members about what they are currently working on and have been able to discuss what Socket Mobile is doing, as well. There have been great overall discussions about what the rest of the industry is doing, over lunch, over the breaks, and in between presentations. I found talking to the members and getting a sense of the industry from their point of view as one of the most valuable parts of the week.

What NFC trend or new opportunity are you most excited about?

The NFC trend Socket Mobile is most excited about is the ability to connect unconnected devices. We are familiar with small IoT devices. Recently, we discovered one that was an e-paper device for putting a tag on a shelf. To use it, a retailer can input the information for the product via their smartphone or another remote device, and the customer can access that information using NFC by tapping the tag on the shelf. One of Socket Mobile’s most important values is our customers, and we think IoT technologies like these can be very helpful by providing a real benefit to consumers using NFC technology.

Click here to learn how you can join the NFC Forum.