We hear more and more talk about NFC and the media that exploit this convenient technology (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay). In this article we will try to explain to you in a simple and quick way What is NFC?, how it works and why it will most likely be increasingly present in our lives with the multiplication of services and devices that use it.
What is NFC?
NFC is an acronym for Near a communication field (in our language short-range communication), it is a wireless technology designed to allow two or more devices to communicate with each other when they are placed at a short distance (between a maximum of 10 and 4 cm depending on the security settings).
Using radio waves, devices can exchange packets of information, useful to perform certain functions.
A smartphone can communicate using NFC technology in two ways: using a special chip present since its manufacture; or through a special Micro SD card equipped with a chip.
How to know if your smartphone is compatible with NFC technology
A few simple steps are enough to know if our Android device has the appropriate chip and is therefore enabled to use this technology.
This is what to do:
- go to menu Settingsi (via the gear icon or via the corresponding entry in the launcher);
- go to article NFC (you can search more quickly by typing the name in the corresponding bar);
- If the item is available, your device is compatible; otherwise, it is not.
About the products Apple is even simpler, the following models have NFC support:
- iPhones from 6 (so 6, 6s, SE, 7,8 and X);
- iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation, iPad Air 2, iPad mini XNUMX and later.
What can you do through NFC?
We must distinguish the platforms, on Android you can do many interesting things, on iOS the use of the chip has been limited to Apple Pay (the home payment system). Apple recently allowed developers to start using the chip, but results remain poor.
You can use your smartphone as a payment instrument
Medium Apple Pay, Samsung Pay e Google Pay all based on NFC you can make payments easily passing the smartphone through the appropriate detector. Nowadays, there are several businesses that allow this payment method, and now it is also possible to pay for some metro tickets directly through your mobile phone.
Payments by telephone, especially for small amounts, are becoming more widespread and are likely to become the norm in a few years.
NFC tags can be used
I NFC tag They are special tags that are programmed with certain information (a link, a phone number, a text, a command), the device detects them if they are within range. The tags are actually real electronic tags and can also be easily programmed.
NFC tag- NTAG213 - 144 Byte Sticker (NFC Forum Type 2 Tag)
- Dimensions: round 22 mm - color: white - adhesive
- NFC Forum type 2 - ISO 14443A - Lockable, 7-byte unique ID
They are often present in museums with the description of the works on display, inside business cards, or they can be used to make your device perform some specific tasks, for example, you can place one on your desk and configure your smartphone to to be silent. mode when it detects it.
You can transfer files easily
Just use the convenient function Android Beam on both devices, then to move a file, simply open the app and place the phones one behind the other.
The transfer will not be done via NFC, which is a very low speed transmission method, but via Bluetooth or WiFi Direct, which is faster. In any case, the transmission is greatly simplified, since through NFC all authentication is carried out in an instant without user intervention.
activar Android Beam It's simple, just:
- go to menu adjustments;
- get to the section Wireless and networks and click on the article More o adjustments additional (varies depending on the version of the Google system);
- at this point also press on the element Android Beam and then on the next screen at the top press On.
you can listen to music
As we said in the last paragraph, theNFC is really convenient to achieve quick Bluetooth pairing. For this reason, some speakers are equipped with NFC so that pairing occurs simply by bringing the smartphone closer.
Music will still be streamed to the speaker directly via Bluetooth.
Some good Bluetooth speakers with NFC are:
Nokia MD-12 Portable NFC Speaker White- Nokia MD-12 orange Bluetooth speaker with NFC technology and small enough to fit in...
- MD -12 is designed with a built-in actuator, creating a great bass effect when...
TECEVO T4 NFC Wireless Bluetooth Speaker and Microphone NFC Pairing 6W RMS Nero- Stream music wirelessly from your cell phone, laptop or tablet; connected...
- Built-in microphone so you can use it as a speaker for conference calls
- High quality 10W RMS dual speaker driver features performance with Tecevo ibass or...
Sony SRS-XB10 portable wireless speaker, extra bass, Bluetooth, NFC, IPX5 water resistant...- wireless speaker
- bluetooth,nfc
- Very low
Our study on NFC technology has concluded, we hope we have clarified your ideas given that it will most likely be a technology that will become increasingly present in our lives in the coming years.
NFC: what it is and what it is for
