Initially, Near Field Communication technology ( NFC) has gained maximum popularity as a technology for making contactless payments. You can use a smart card with a built-in NFC chip as a travel card on public transport, as a payment card in retail establishments, as a “smart” business card or as a contactless key card.

However, in Lately, this technology is increasingly used in devices such as smartphones and tablets: almost all major manufacturers have begun to equip their mid- and high-end models with NFC adapters.

What is NFC?

If we translate the name of the Near Field Communication technology from English, we get the phrase “near field communication,” which can be deciphered in ordinary language as wireless communication over short distances. Thus, we see that two NFC-enabled devices can communicate with each other when they are nearby. And indeed, the “range” of NFC is only a few centimeters.

In mobile devices, NFC technology can be used for various purposes. You can, for example, turn your phone into a virtual bank card, or use it as a pass to a swimming pool or to a business. You can also quickly exchange files and links, and even, using special applications, read and write information to programmable NFC tags or NFC smart cards.

In the operating room Android system, NFC support appeared in Android versions 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - Its built-in Beam feature allows you to share files between devices.

Why do you need NFC if you already have Bluetooth?

As you remember, NFC is most often used when paying for various goods or services, and in this case Bluetooth is not entirely suitable. Firstly, due to its large range (there is a possibility of interception of your payment data). And secondly, the connection between two NFC devices, unlike Bluetooth, occurs almost instantly.

Does your device support NFC?

Not all phones and tablets have NFC adapters. Does your tablet support NFC? How to check its availability?

Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, place the Near Field Communication message directly on the battery of their smartphones, while others, such as Sony, place the NFC logo on the device.

However, the easiest way to check the presence of an NFC adapter in your phone or tablet is through its settings menu:

Go to the settings menu of your Android device

In the Wireless Networks section, click More...

Here you should see NFC settings items:

NFC activation

If your tablet or phone has an NFC adapter, you need to allow it to be used to exchange data between other NFC devices.

Go to Settings -> Wireless & networks -> More...

Check the box next to "Allow data exchange when combining the tablet with another device"

This will turn on automatically Android function Beam.

If Android Beam doesn't turn on automatically, simply tap on it and select Yes to turn it on.

When Android Beam is disabled, it limits the ability to share NFC data between smartphones or tablets.

Exchange data with using NFC

Once you have activated NFC, you can use it to transfer data. For successful data exchange between tablets and phones, pay attention to the following:

Both the sending and receiving devices must have NFC enabled and Android Beam enabled.

None of the devices should be in sleep mode or have a locked screen.

When you bring the two devices close enough to each other, you will hear sound signal, indicating that the devices have discovered each other.

Do not separate the devices until the data transfer is complete and you hear a success signal.

Data transfer via NFC

Place the backs of the devices facing each other.

Wait until confirmation appears that both devices have detected each other and the message “tap to transfer data” appears on the sender’s screen:

Click on the screen and data transfer will begin:

You will hear a sound confirmation both at the beginning and at the end of the data transfer.

Application sharing

With NFC you can't share APK files. Instead, the sending device sends a link to that app to the other device. Google Play Market, and the recipient opens a page in the Market with an offer to install it.

Sharing web pages

Just as in the previous case, the web page is not transferred from one device to another, but only a link to it is exchanged, which the recipient tablet or phone opens in its web browser.

Exchange YouTube video

Again, when sharing a YouTube video, the file itself is not transferred - the second device will simply open the same video on the YouTube website.

Using NFC tags.

In addition to exchanging information between tablets and phones, you can use your device to read (and write) data from NFC tags and smart cards equipped with an NFC chip.

NFC chips are small enough that they can be embedded anywhere - in business cards, bracelets, product labels, stickers, price tags and other items. They can contain information about the person, a URL, product information, and even commands that your phone or tablet should execute when you touch these tags.

To read data from NFC tags (or to write information to them), you will, of course, need special application.

For example, using the Yandex.Metro program you can find out how many trips are left on your disposable Moscow Metro card, and the NFC App Launcher program will allow you to program your phone or tablet to perform certain actions by placing the corresponding information in the NFC tag.

Conclusion

Most of the modern Android phones and tablets are already equipped with NFC adapters, but so far this function is in little demand and its use is still limited, mainly by the possibility quick exchange content and contactless payment for services. However, in the future, NFC may penetrate into all areas of our lives, sometimes even completely unexpected ones.

Why are more and more mobile manufacturers equipping smartphones with an NFC chip, and what are the possibilities? this technology opens to the user?

Nowadays, the mobile market offers a wide variety of high- and mid-price smartphones that are equipped with an NFC chip. Before you pay for an additional function, you need to understand what it is and why it is needed in the phone.

What is NFC?

NFC (Near field communication) is a wireless communication interface, one of the main characteristics of which, as the name suggests, is a short range (up to 10 cm). Among the features of the technology we can also highlight:

• Possibility of exchange with other devices and passive tags.
• Compact sizes.
• Low power consumption.
• Low data transfer speed.
• Connection setup time is 0.1 seconds.
• Budget cost.

Thanks to its small size and low power consumption, NFC can be used in small devices. In smartphones, the antenna is usually mounted on the battery compartment cover or the inside of the back panel if the battery is removable. So that users do not have the question of how exactly to apply the gadget to transfer data (this problem is especially typical for tablets due to their large size and short range of technology), the location of the chip is often marked with a special sticker on the case.

Since the NFC interface is only a basis and does not provide a clear solution for use, then mobile manufacturers and application developers have to independently develop work scenarios. This can cause problems when apps and devices from different manufacturers interact with each other.

Ways to use NFC

Perhaps one of the most common ways to use NFC is. The user can attach a bank card to their mobile device, with which they will pay in the future, for example, if the card is left at home. In this case, the possibility of data interception is extremely low due to the small range of the interface; a lost or stolen unlocked smartphone poses a great danger.

To make a payment via NFC you will need:

1. Bank card marked paypass.
2. Application of the relevant bank.
3. Find the NFC item in the application menu.
4. Attach the card to back cover phone for reading.
5. Remember the password for payment transactions sent in an SMS message.

The next method of using technology is data exchange. By using Android programs Beam can transfer various files from one mobile device to another. However, the transmission speed is very low, so this function is more suitable for sending small text messages and links.

Instructions:

1. Activate NFC - check the box next to this item in the “Wireless Networks” menu, unlock your smartphone and turn on the screen.

2. Select an agent:

• Google Chrome - to transfer the current active link.
• Google Maps - for transferring the route.
• Google Play - for transferring applications, books and other content presented in the service.
• YouTube - to send a link to a video.
• Contacts - to transfer a contact.
• Gallery - for transferring photos and pictures (however, this can take a long time due to the low transfer speed, so in this case it is better to use special applications, which will be discussed below).

3. Bring the devices closer until the alarm sounds.

4. Touch and hold the screen to confirm the transfer.

5. Another beep will sound indicating successful file transfer.

There are various applications that use the NFC interface only for pairing, and subsequent file transfer is done through bluetooth connection or Wi-Fi: Send! File Transfer, File Expert HD and Super Beam WiFi Direct Share.

Next method - reading and writing tags. This function It works similarly, only it uses an NFC chip rather than a smartphone camera. It can be useful for automating home and work life. To create your own, you will need blank blanks and special programs for recording the necessary information. You can assign the following actions to a tag, which will be performed after it is read: sending an SMS message or email, calling a contact, opening a link, connecting via Bluetooth, launching an application and much more.

Several programs for creating tags:

1. WiFiTap WiFi NFC - for connection wireless network. Helps guests connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot quickly and without entering a password.
2. ABA NFC - for creating various standard format tags.
3. SmartTag Maker is a special application for users of Sony products, which contains a number of blanks used not only with the NFC interface, but also with the headset, Bluetooth devices, power supply, etc.

Bottom line

Each user decides for himself whether he needs additional function NFC in a smartphone or not. However, this technology is still used in more mobile devices. Therefore, if you did purchase a gadget with NFC support, you now know how to use all its capabilities to make life more convenient.

NFC has become quite common thanks to the growth of online payment systems such as Samsung Pay And Android Pay. Especially if this applies even to middle-class phones. You've probably heard this term before, but what is NFC in a smartphone? In this article, I will briefly outline what it is, how it works, and what it can be used for.

NFC stands for “Near Field Communication”, which translates as “near contactless communication”. As the name suggests, it provides short communication between devices. This requires at least one transmitting device and one to receive the signal. Devices using the NFC standard are divided into passive and active.

Passive NFC devices are small transmitters that can send messages to other NFC devices without the need for a power source. However, they cannot process any information sent from other sources and cannot connect to other passive components. These are usually interactive signs on walls or advertisements.

Active NFC devices can send and receive data and can communicate with each other as well as with the passive device. Smartphones are the most common form of active NFC device today. An example of technology is card readers for public transport and payment terminals.

Now that we know what it is, let's find out how NFC works on a phone.
Very simple, just like Bluetooth and WiFi and other wireless signals. NFC works on the principle of sending information over radio waves. Near Field Communication- another standard for wireless transmission data. This means that devices must adhere to certain specifications in order to communicate with each other correctly. The technology used in NFC is based on the idea of ​​RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), which uses electromagnetic induction to transmit information.

Of course there is one significant difference between NFC and Bluetooth/WiFi. The former can be used to induce electrical currents within passive components, as well as for data transmission. Instead, they can be powered by the electromagnetic field generated by the NFC active component when it comes into range. Unfortunately, NFC technology lacks sufficient inductance to charge a smartphone, but QI charging has the same principle.

On the other hand, read or write mode is a one-way data transfer. An active device, such as your smartphone, connects to another device to read information from it.

The last mode of operation is card emulation. NFC devices here are smart or contactless credit cards; you can use them to pay for travel on public transport or pay for purchases in stores.

Compare with Bluetooth

Although I answered the question “What is NFC?” Let's compare it with other wireless technologies? Some may think that NFC is not needed since there is Bluetooth. However, there are several important technological differences between the two, and NFC has significant advantages. The main argument in favor of NFC is that it consumes much less power than Bluetooth. This makes NFC ideal for passive devices, such as the advertising tags I wrote about above, since they can operate without a main power source.

However, low power consumption has one serious drawback. In particular, the transmission range is much shorter than Bluetooth. NFC has a range of about 10 cm, and Bluetooth can transmit data up to 10 meters or more. Another disadvantage is that NFC is slower than Bluetooth. It transfers data at a maximum speed of 424 kbps, compared to 2.1 Mbps for Bluetooth 2.1 or about 1 Mbps for Bluetooth Low Energy.

But NFC has the most important advantage: faster connections. Thanks to inductive coupling and the absence of manual pairing, less than one tenth of a second passes before the exchange of information begins. Although modern Bluetooth also connects quite quickly, NFC is still very convenient in certain situations, such as mobile payments.

Samsung Pay, Android Pay, and even Apple Pay use NFC technology, although Samsung Pay works a little differently than the others. Bluetooth is very convenient for transferring files, connecting headphones and other gadgets. My guess is that NFC will always be relevant thanks to mobile payments.

Conclusion

Now, I have answered the question “What is NFC?”, but if you do not understand something or have other questions about this wireless technology. Ask them in the comments below.

Read about how to enable NFC.

Despite the fact that almost everyone has access to information, not every mobile device user knows what NFC is in a smartphone, what this technology is for and how to use it.

How does NFC work?

NFC is a computer technology that has gained fame, allowing you to make purchases in stores and pay for services without money (cash) or a bank card. This is a new and virtually secure method of contactless payment. The communication interface is used in a smartphone. To pay, just bring your smartphone with the installed module to the terminal.

The principle of operation of the NFC module in a smartphone is the same as in plastic cards with wireless function.

There are several known ways to use the NFC interface in a mobile device. Most often, people use it to make contactless payments. A bank card is attached to the mobile device. It is difficult to intercept bank card data due to the small range of this module. In this case, unattended, lost or unlocked smartphones are more dangerous.

The payment transaction is carried out in several stages:

• Purchasing and activating a card with PayPass technology.
• Install your issuing bank's application.
• Activating NFC technology on a mobile device.
• Applying the card to the smartphone, starting the data reading procedure.
• Receive a PIN code from the bank via SMS for transactions.
• Payment for goods and services using a smartphone and a payment terminal.

There is another, less common way to use NFC technology. Using the module you can exchange data. Files are transferred from one mobile device to another, and a special device acts as an intermediary. Android app Beam. But exchanging data in this way is inconvenient, since the transmission speed is low and the range is minimal. The method is suitable for sending text messages, but nothing more.

The third way to use the technology is to record and read tags. Certain actions are assigned to a tag, such as sending a message, calling a contact, or going online. The function is suitable for people seeking to optimize personal time and automate their everyday life.

How to set up NFC for contactless payment by phone

NFC setup consists of the following steps:

1. Module activation. The user goes to the “wireless networks” settings section and checks the box next to the NFC name.
2. Agent selection. The user has the opportunity to select and install the application of the issuing bank of his card for data transfer.
3. Module binding. The user moves the device closer to the card with PayPass technology until the signal goes off.
4. Confirmation. Receive an SMS code to complete transactions.
5. Usage. Payment for goods and services in terminals with NFC technology.

Is it possible to buy a separate NFC module for your phone?

Purchasing a separate contactless communication module for a telephone is possible in the form of several solutions. You can use a special SIM card or antenna with your mobile device. The SIM card works the same as its counterparts. She is being released mobile operators and is installed in the smartphone in a special connector. The SIM card opens up all the possibilities of contactless transactions using a mobile phone at the level of Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.

NFC antenna is a radio device that performs the functions of an NFC module, but the user will have to install it on their smartphone themselves. The antenna is glued to the SIM card and installed under the phone cover. On models with a non-removable cover, installing modules is more difficult, but theoretically possible.

What are nfc tags

Recording and then reading tags is necessary to automate everyday tasks. Tags are analogous to QR codes. When approaching the tag, the smartphone reads it using the NFC module and performs encrypted tasks. For example, opens a video on YouTube, email, SMS message or call a contact from your phone's address book.

A smart ring or bracelet with NFC function is a new development from Chinese engineers, suitable for smartphones running on any operating systems. The bracelet can be selected to suit any hand size (the same with the ring). The device weighs very little and fully supports NFC technology. The processor functions, for example, in the band 3 nfc model are performed by a special chipset. Thanks to the chipset, the smart bracelet helps the smartphone exchange data via a contactless channel, maintaining the necessary security. Data on a device can be overwritten hundreds of thousands of times.

The bracelet stores payment information, notes and other personal information. It’s easy to view information - just hold the bracelet to the smartphone screen. The bracelet will instantly establish a connection with the phone and remove the lock from the screen, and can also serve as a “hot” button. For example, when you bring the bracelet to your smartphone, the camera, Internet or social network application will instantly open.

How to find out if your phone has NFC

The NFC icon, if the smartphone has this module, can be found in the settings menu. On an Android device, you need to do this:

1. Open the settings menu.
2. Open the “wireless networks” section.
3. Read the list of networks supported by the device. If the list does not include a network called NFC, then the smartphone cannot exchange data using this technology.

Is NFC technology safe? Won't the money be stolen?

People who have been using contactless phones for a long time bank cards, there is no need to explain what NFC technology is. This payment method is safer than the standard method of activating a PIN card in the terminal, since no one sees the code. Even after stealing a smartphone, an attacker will not be able to withdraw more than 1,000 rubles from the card due to universal current restrictions to the limit on amounts in contactless transactions.

Some media reported that attackers have developed terminals that they use in crowds, quietly withdrawing money. But this is only possible if the smartphone is not locked.

Advice: if the fraudster managed to write off money illegally, the account owner can always contact the bank and ask employees to track the movement of funds. The attacker’s account will be quickly found and the money will be returned to the owner if he (the fraudster) has not spent it yet.

Programs for creating NFC tags

There are already many separate applications for creating NFC tags, but their number is constantly growing. The following specialized programs are in great demand:

• ABA NFC. The program creates standard labels for various purposes.
• WiFi Tap. The program quickly connects the device to a wireless network without entering a password.

Articles and Lifehacks

Content:

Surely many users have previously encountered the abbreviation NFC.

We will talk about what NFS is in a mobile phone, as well as about the features of using this useful function on Android.

NFC - what is it?

NFC can be deciphered as “near field communication”, or “contactless near communication”.

This is a special modern wireless communication technology, thanks to which it becomes possible to exchange information at high radio frequencies between devices on a short distance(about 10 centimeters).

In this case, physical contact between two phones is not required.

Previously, this technology was most widely used for contactless payments in the field of trade and transport services. Today it is known for its active penetration into the mobile field.

Almost every famous device equips its devices with NFC modules.

Thanks to this we can use our mobile phone for communication with various electronic equipment - for example, when we use it as a means of payment by installing special program.

At the same time, the level of data protection is quite high.

Thus, our mobile device today can be used not only as a means of communication, but also for transmitting and receiving information, paying for purchases and purchasing transport tickets.

We have the right to make it a virtual payment card, or a pass to any enterprise.

In addition, it is very convenient to use NFC tags and smart cards, as well as quickly exchange information.