How the iPhone, NFC and Mac App Store Will Enable Remote Computing [Exclusive]

Leander Kahney (10:12 pm PDT, Mar 17 2011)

How the iPhone, NFC and Mac App Store Will Enable Remote Computing [Exclusive]

With all the rumors about NFC being in the next iPhone — or not in the next iPhone — we have a few more details about Apple’s remote computing plans that revolve around the technology.

According to a source close to the company, Apple is busy testing several prototype iPhones with near field communications (NFC). Unfortunately, the source has no knowledge of when Apple will actually introduce the technology in the iPhone. It could be the next model, due this summer, or next year’s, they said.

However, Apple is working out the kinks in an ambitious remote computing system — and a key component utilizes the recently launched Mac App Store.

As we previously reported, Apple is working on a system that allows users to log into another computer using an NFC-equipped iPhone. The iPhone pairs with the host machine, and loads the user’s files and settings over the net. It’s as though the user is sitting at their own machine at home.


How the iPhone, NFC and Mac App Store Will Enable Remote Computing [Exclusive]

According to our source, who asked not to be named, when a NFC-equipped iPhone is paired with a guest machine, part of the user’s profile includes the apps they’ve purchased through the Mac App Store.

The icons for their apps appear on the remote Mac, but aren’t downloaded, our source said.

But if the user opens an app, it is downloaded temporarily to the computer for use. When the NFC connection is broken, the apps are deleted and the computer returns to its previous state.

Apple is developing a way to auto-save files created within the app. The files are transferred to Apple’s servers, so anything the user does within certain apps — like creating a document in Pages — is automatically saved and synced with MobileMe.

“When you return to your home computer, your stuff is there waiting for you,” the source said.

Apple already has parts of the system baked into its next operating system, Mac OS 10.7 Lion, which is currently in beta test.

The source cautioned that the remote computing system is currently being developed, and may or may not be made public.

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10 comments »

  • Anonymous

    Something like this was explored when the iPod first appeared. IF this finally did happen it wouldn’t surprise me.

  • http://visionaforethought.wordpress.com/ Oflife

    This ties in with the rumor that followed Apple’s intriguing job posting last year calling for an https engineer to work on something groundbreaking that would make people sit up and take notice again, (or similar expression of impending magical paradigm shifting revolution.) Merge that with their almost complete data centre and Apple’s – to date – appalling lack of credible cloud computing strategy and they are either about to do something amazing that delivers a true cc ecosystem (online, offline, syncing, sharing etc all taken care of nicely concisely), or make a total balls up and the big G/Android/Chrome will enjoy apple pie for desert and all your bits will belong to Sergey. :P

  • Johnfld29

    Apple doesn’t need the user profile through NFC to do this. I think this is more likely to happen: http://www.allnewsmac.com/2011/02/27/mobileme-to-play-big-role-in-future-mac-os-is-apple-working-on-cloud-based-os/

  • zato

    More total bullshit from wired.

  • Kevin098

    Very awesome,but what I hope for iphone 5 was a HD display , that’s all . . .

  • Kevin098

    Very awesome,but what I hope for iphone 5 was a HD display and NFC chip , that’s all . . .

  • http://twitter.com/Fourthletter58 Fourthletter58

    I don’t really see the point of NFC in this equation, you could just sign into the Mac App Store on another machine and access all this stuff.
    You’ll still have to accept and sign in with an iPhone otherwise when a college comes over to your machine you’ll have to tell them to leave their iPhone behind.

  • Anonymous

    Wait, doesn’t the Mac itself need an NFC chip too? I didn’t hear the new MacBook Pros having these or am I wrong?

  • Mcmsonet

    MAC toujours et encore top du top
    BRAVO MAC

  • tcbritt

    I really believe everyone is missing it here. As is usually brought up when discussing this idea, how would all your documents, music and movies be synced instantly over the internet from the cloud? that would take some serious bandwidth. This data will be stored on the iOS device and synced to the computer. When you login to guest computer, apps are downloaded from app store, but personal media and documents are pulled from the iPhone. This is the point of the NFC connection.

About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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