Apple's introduction of the iPhone shook up the mobile phone market and now it appears as though Steve Jobs and company are getting ready to do it again. According to a report by GigaOM, Apple is working with Gemalto, a European chip manufacturer, to develop a SIM card for the iPhone that will enable it to work with any cell phone service directly out of the box.
If the report is correct, those purchasing an iPhone would no longer be tied to one or two carriers, therefore opening up the market to greater competition for consumer dollars.
An analysis on the Apple Insider website said there is another aspect to this report that could have a major implications for retail, as well. Apple and Gemalto are both working with near field communications (NFC) technologies to enable contactless transactions of various types using radio frequency identification (RFID).
Discussion Questions: What do you see as the implications for the mobile phone and retail markets should the GigaOM report prove correct? What will have the greater impact: the iPhone being opened up to multiple carriers or as a device to engage in contactless transactions?