Smart and quick on uptake

Electronics Times,  Sept 25, 2000  

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The uptake of multifunction smartcards by the banking industry is set to increase rapidly following the production of a Java-compatible smartcard that will cost $3 in volume.

The GemXpresso Lite from Gemplus is based on the JavaCard platform and can host applications including loyalty, secure Internet access and an e-purse, as well as co-existing alongside Visa's debit- and credit- payment applications.

According to Nick Norman, marketing manager for retail and banking at Gemplus, placing the banking application directly onto the rom led to a 50% reduction in the cost of the chip.

"Unlike a standard Java card where the banking application is placed on the EEPROM, with a card dedicated to retail banking, the debit/credit application is mandatory and so can be installed definitively onto the rom," he said.

"The reduced cost comes from using a 48K rom, 16K EEPROM chip rather than a 32K rom, 32K EEPROM chip, which is as efficient but less costly."

Duncan Brown, consulting director at analyst Ovum, said: "This three dollar card substantially enhances the business case for smartcard adoption. Banks considering smartcards must now ask themselves `why not?' rather then `why?'"

Copyright: United Business Media Ltd.

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