Nokia have been busy at CES 2007, with the announcement of the Nokia 6131 NFC (Near Field Communications) phone.

NFC is a technology that enables a device (such as a mobile phone) to exchange information seamlessly with other devices when placed in close contact.

Examples of its use include using your phone as an entry card, receiving product information from a CD or DVD by swiping your phone over it, or even buying a bus ticket or can from a vending machine, all by swiping your phone over a suitable receiver.

Nokia 6131 NFC mobile phone

Nokia have experimented with NFC phones for some time, and even retrofitted an old Nokia 3220 with NFC technology to prove the concept bakc in 2005. Now, however, it seems they're becoming more serious with this emerging technology, as the original Nokia 6131 (sans NFC) is only 6 months old, and the company seems keen on pushing it to software developers.

NFC isn't new technology, and the examples that Nokia give for its use are common in Japanese phones, which have used FeliCa technology for some time to do much the same thing. However, the concept has never really taken off in Europe or the US, so it'll be interesting to see how muhc success Nokia will have with the 6131.

Certainly they're not pushing it as hard as their N-Series phones, so it may just be that they're dipping a knee into the water (if we consider the 3220 to be the proverbial toe) to test the market's readiness before coming out with NFC technology on all their phones.

The biggest barrier to its widespread adoption is user perception, though. If your mobile phone can act as payment, what if it's stolen? And what use is an NFC phone if there are no NFC-equipped products or services?

It's a chicken and egg situation that will surely be cracked one day though - it's just a question of whether that day is today or not.