You’ve probably heard of NFC technology, but you might not know what it is, how to use it, or which gadgets are compatible. Although carrying cash is no longer necessary for payment, this technology can be useful in other ways as well. Mobility has a growing effect on people’s daily lives all around the world. So let’s quickly review NFC’s definition and operation in this article.
Quick View
- What is NFC?
- Is It Useful?
- Is it worth it?
- Uses of NFC
- How To Use The Features
- Which Device and OS Version Supports NFC?
What is NFC?
Near Field Communication, or NFC for short is a wireless short-range technology that allows two devices to communicate with one another by sending out a signal. It is merely a development of the decades-old RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. You already know how it works if you’ve ever used a key card to enter an office building or hotel room.
Is It Useful?
How does NFC affect our daily life?
For our daily lives, it is actually also really helpful. NFC can be used as an effective payment method that allows you to pay by phone. It aids in optimizing every aspect of mobile payment and facilitating successful on-the-go transactions.
Examples of NFC use in daily life
Additionally, there are some examples of NFC applications in daily life, such as:
• Can be linked to your vehicle
If you’re one of those individuals who immediately connect to their car’s entertainment system after getting in, you now know that you can activate your Bluetooth using an NFC tag. By using the NFC tag to activate Google Maps, you can prevent the screen from turning off while charging in case you need to use your GPS for navigation.
• Utilize NFC to automate sleep mode
You may set the NFC Tags to disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, activate the silent profile, and launch the alarm app for sleep mode using apps like NFC Tools.
• Utilizing NFC to pay bills
Even though bill payment is one of NFC’s main functions, it still merits a spot on this list because it is helpful. NFC PayPass allows you to make payments using just your NFC-enabled smartphone, eliminating the need to carry cash around. The finest feature is that neither the merchant nor your bank account is accessible to them.
• Can unlock your door
For activities like locking and unlocking your door, NFC can be very useful. The best thing is that it uses home Wi-Fi without requiring any wire and only requires an AA battery to operate. It will automatically unlock the door with a simple tap.
• Control your nearby devices via NFC
You can modify your room lighting to respond to voice commands with a few pieces of software, a few NFC tags, and automation hardware. Light switches are accessible from anywhere on the same Wi-Fi network. The Philips Hue system, which runs its own HTTP server, is an excellent example.
• Exchange data real quickly with one tap
You can also use it to share your information with other people and it just needs one tap to connect both devices. In this case, information that you can share easily with NFC technology such as your bio, company name, job title, email, WhatsApp number, social media accounts, and website.
Is It Worth It?
Near-field communication (NFC) enthusiasts frequently analyze how they may benefit from and improve upon the technology. Fortunately, this article walks you through a tutorial about whether or not NFC features are beneficial.
Benefits of NFC
Let’s explore the benefits of NFC, such as:
• Simple and efficient
Within a 4 mm range, NFC cards communicate with the target device using wireless technology. Your smartphone will extract the data or action from the NFC card when you hold it beneath the NFC-enabled device.
• Long-lasting
Durable plastics are used to create NFC cards. Compared to ordinary paper cards, they endure longer. As a result, it aids businesses in preserving the paper used to create business cards that easily age or become damaged.
• Flexible
NFC cards and other devices can be customized. This implies that you have control over the content your target client or customer sees. You may programmatically call or text someone, take them to your website, save their contact information, and show their portfolio.
Uses of NFC
Along with its advantages, NFC also has a few other uses, which will be covered below.
Easy Payments With Smartphones
You may use your smartphone to make payments in any store because of this technology and the associated payment networks and apps.
Share personal information between two parties
An NFC tag that the other person can scan can be carried around with you at all times (in your wallet, handbag, back of your phone’s case, or as a keychain).
Connect to Wifi Instantly
You may now install an NFC tag anywhere in your home so that people can scan it with their smartphone and immediately join your Wi-Fi network.
Make Printing Easy To Do
NFC-enabled printers allow you to print by just approaching the printer and tapping your phone.
How To Use The Features
How do you use the features given all the advantages and applications? Is it the same for every smartphone? Let’s see the details below.
How to use it on iPhone
Bring your tag close to the iPhone and lightly tap the top of the iPhone to scan an NFC tag. The contents of the tag would be immediately read by the iPhone.
If you don’t find it, go to Settings > Control Panel > Scroll Down until you find the NFC option > Tap the (+) button. For iPhones that require activation as above, if you want to detect an NFC signal, you need to drag the top right of the screen to see the shortcut control panel and then press the NFC option.
How to use it on Android
On your Android device, open the Settings app > Select Connected devices > Tap on Connection preferences > Tap the NFC option, then enable the Use NFC option.
For sharing Wi-Fi networks, controlling smart lights, and others, you’ll need NFC Tools or a similar NFC writing app to set things up. Open up NFC Tools and select the right menu. From there you will “Add a Record” > Select “Wi-fi Network” from the bottom of the list > Input the information for the network you’d like to share by NFC > Write to your NFC tag by holding the blank tag up to your phone. The same step is if you want to control your smart lights too.
As can be seen from the information above, using NFC functions on Android is clearly simpler than using them on an iPhone because Android typically comes with a button to turn them on. Unlike iPhones, which lack a button where the NFC occasionally cannot be read. It must be read in the proper location in order for it to function.
Which Device and OS Version Supports NFC?
NFC features on Android phones have long been well-known. In 2012, NFC was made available on Android devices. All iPhones including the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and so on up to the latest iPhone 14, all ship with an NFC chip inside. For iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple notified that two iPhone series still get the update iOS (2021), so they can detect NFC even though sometimes there are errors in detection.
In conclusion, using NFC technology and comprehending how it works is not particularly difficult. NFC technology offers a variety of advantages and features that might help you find a more effective solution while maintaining a professional presentation. Using our NFC smart card can give a professional impression and ensure that you are prepared for every encounter if you are seeking an efficient solution for your NFC technology demands.
