Sony Corp. and three other firms have developed a new-generation smart card featuring the dual functions of contact and "contactless" integrated circuit card technologies, Sony officials said Wednesday.
Dai Nippon Printing Co., U.S. credit card giant Visa International, and German memory chip maker Infineon Technologies AG joined in the development of the new card, which is expected to lure a range of financial services companies.
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi is expected to be among the first customers to use the new card, the officials said.
Automated teller machines at banks widely use the contact IC card technology featured in the new card, which also adopted Sony's FeliCa contactless card technology designed for services such as transport system payments and electronic settlements.