Nokia scraps 6216 Classic, its SIM-based NFC handset

Nokia has pulled the plug on plans to launch the 6216 Classic, the first mobile phone to support Near Field Communication (NFC) via the SIM card rather than an embedded element in the handset itself.

The 6216 Classic, which was first announced in April 2009, would have been Nokia's third NFC handset, but the first to transfer control of mobile payments to the service provider through the SIM card.

Nokia originally pencilled in the 6216's launch for the third quarter of last year, but the mooted launch date came and went without any sign of the handset materialising, leading to rumours that the Finnish phone giant had cooled its interest in the project.

Confirmation of the 6216's cancellation came yesterday from NFC World.

"We felt the quality of the consumer experience was not what it needed to be," Nokia was quoted as saying.

NFC is the technology that powers near-proximity payment systems such as contactless credit cards or London's Oyster Card ticketing system. When brought within close range of a NFC reader, small-value transactions can be performed using induced power, removing the need for a dedicated power source.

NFC mobile phones have thus far relied on hard-wired elements within the phone itself. The 6216 Classic would have been the first to support NFC-capable SIM cards something mobile operators have been pressing for for some time.

Nokia has emphasised that the 6216 Classic's withdrawal isn't a sign that its commitment to NFC technology is waning, and it still fully supports the 6212 Classic and the legacy 6131.