All contemporary cell phones have NFC technology. Whether you realize it or not, NFC is most likely being used by your phone right now. But don’t worry—NFC offers a host of advantages that improve your device’s performance while using very little battery life and processing power. Although NFC is widely used in peer-to-peer payment and data-transfer apps, it has many other applications that could make your life easier. To discover how to take full advantage of the NFC capabilities on your phone, keep reading.
What precisely is my phone’s NFC?
Phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices with NFC capabilities can exchange data with other NFC-enabled devices very fast. Radio-frequency identification, or RFID, technology gave rise to it. The technology that powers the security scan cards that let you bypass the toll booth on your way to work each day is called RFID. While NFC and RFID share many similarities, NFC can only communicate up to 4 inches away, so if you use Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, you have to keep your phone close to the contactless scanner. The fact that most people view NFC’s constrained range as a major security advantage has helped it become more well-liked as a secure substitute for credit cards.
NFC vs. Bluetooth technology
NFC is more dependable, faster, and safer. I could go on and on about how NFC technology is specifically designed for data transfer between two devices near one another, making it the most secure way to send data between devices, or how two NFC devices can connect in less than 0.5 seconds. Let’s examine a real-world scenario. After a demanding workday, you hop back on the bus, put on your Bluetooth headphones, and turn on the music on your smartphone—but nothing plays. You crank up the music, hoping something will happen.
How does NFC operate?
Similar to Bluetooth, NFC allows data transfer without the need for device discovery or manual pairing. An NFC connection is made instantly when another NFC device enters the 4-inch range that was previously chosen. The user receives prompts and the two devices instantly interact when they come into contact. Here are a few of the most popular ways we currently use NFC between devices.
payments made with a smartphone.
As our society becomes more cashless, mobile payments are growing in popularity. Because banks work together and most modern devices have biometric technology built in, making a mobile payment is safe and easy. A message requesting confirmation of payment will appear in your digital wallet or passbook when you hold your smartphone four inches in front of a contactless reader in a store. Using Apple Pay, you can accomplish this by either double-pressing the Power button to scan your face using Face ID or by placing your finger on the Home button, which has Touch ID functionality. Additionally, it works with Samsung Pay and Google Pay.
NFC labels
Without the need for electricity, passive tags can be set up to perform specific tasks when scanned with apps like Tasker. Place one on your desk, for instance, and you can enable only work-related alerts, turn off GPS, or make your phone vibrate simply by scanning the tag. Passive tags are not capable of analyzing data from external sources or interacting with other passive devices. Smartphones and other active NFC devices can communicate with passive and active devices as well as send and receive data.
What else is NFC able to do?
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay only scratch the surface of what NFC is capable of when it comes to tap-and-go operations. With NFC, music lovers can quickly pair their phones with speakers. You can use your phone to check your fitness and health indicators, open the door of your car, and access your work computer. Public transportation is changing as a result of this technology; in some cities, you can use your smartphone as a metro pass or scan it on certain buses. With an app, you can top up a bus or metro pass, ensuring that money stays on your card at all times. Both student IDs and loyalty cards can be processed by this system. The last option is to have an NFC chip inserted into your body. NFC tags have various applications. To learn more about this technology, consider creating NFC coasters that will allow guests to connect to your home’s wireless network.
