Skip to main content

Nokia Lumia 610 NFC leaks ahead of Orange UK announcement later today

Nokia Lumia 610 NFC leaks ahead of Orange UK announcement later today

/

A video has appeared online appearing to confirm NFC support for the Lumia 610.

Share this story

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Gallery Photo: Nokia Lumia 610 hands-on photos
Gallery Photo: Nokia Lumia 610 hands-on photos

Nokia's upcoming Lumia 610 may be at the low end of the company's lineup, but it looks like at least some models will be shipping with a trick up their sleeve in the shape of NFC support. The company posted and quickly withdrew a YouTube video entitled "Introducing Nokia Lumia 610 NFC," which has resurfaced online courtesy of NokiaBuff. It reveals that Nokia will release an app called Tag Writer to allow users to program in abilities via "taps," including the NFC-enabled Play 360 speaker that was designed for the N9, and there's also support for MasterCard PayPass. It doesn't look like all 610 handsets will get the functionality, however: Nokia refers to the device as the "Lumia 610 NFC" in the video.

It's a somewhat surprising move — the flagship Lumia 900 doesn't have NFC hardware, and there's no native support in Windows Phone for mobile payments or other uses of the technology, even in the upcoming Tango release that the 610 will run. That said, the 610 was the first Lumia device to have tethering support confirmed, so maybe Nokia considers it a potential technological showpiece in ways beyond the raw hardware specs.

Update: According to sources familiar with the matter, Nokia will launch the Lumia 610 NFC in partnership with Orange UK later today.

Thanks, Fahd!