We usually don’t cover non-Chrome news, but an acquisition by Google is always important! The Search Giant has just purchased itself a brand new company called Bump, known for its NFC contact sharing technology.
This acquisition should help Google improve Android Beam, which has been great as a novelty but has failed to be as helpful as it can be. Samsung’s S-Beam happens to be better, giving users the ability to transfer larger files and not just contact information, websites and the like.
We are not sure if Bump will make Android Beam as good as S-Beam, but any improvement is very welcome. Especially considering S-Beam only works with Samsung devices. We need a universal solution for sharing.
How could this be relevant to Chrome?
As NFC technology continues to get adapted, more Google devices will surely get the same treatment. NFC is already an Android standard. It is only a matter of time before we start seeing Chromebooks and other electronics featuring this communications chip.
In fact, some computers are already featuring NFC technology, allowing you to transfer files from/to your smartphone by just placing the device close to the computer. Chrome OS might not be quite ready for this, but we are sure it’s in the roadmap.
NFC would not be limited to simple file transfers. It can open many doors. Imagine being able to log into your Chromebook by tapping your phone in your Chromebook. How about setting your kid’s phone (or any NFC chip, like an NFC ring) to open Guest Mode? This could be possible in the not-so-distant-future.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. For now, let’s just hope Android Beam gets better. What do you think Google is planning to do with Bump?
[Bump]
