At the moment, there are various concepts in the mobile industry that many have never heard of. Therefore, it is quite natural to need to understand some of the nuances. So, if you come to the question of what NFC is, then you had to come across in some form the mention of this concept somewhere. It is worth understanding it as much as possible.
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology of high-quality wireless communication with a short range (not more than 10 centimeters), which allows contactless data exchange between a pair of devices located nearby: for example, between a plastic smart card or cell phone and a reading terminal . NFC technology is based on RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification). This is radio frequency identification, which is a method for identifying objects in automatic mode. In this case, a radio signal is used, by means of which the data stored in transponders, often defined as NFC tags, are recorded and read. In general, we can say that we are talking about technology for transmitting information through a radio channel that supports active and passive devices. For example, Sony NFC key fobs do not need any additional power to ensure their operation, they do it completely passively.
Technology features
So, if we talk about what NFC is, then it is worth considering the three most popular options for using this technology in mobile phones:
- a reading mode in which the phone reads a passive tag, for example, for interactive advertising;
- emulation of cards, in which the gadget is able to "pretend" with a card, for example, payment or pass;
- P2P mode, in which two phones are paired for data exchange.
Most often, NFC-technology assumes that the carrier of the chip is a mobile phone, which is as massive as an individual device, and at the same time completely inseparable from its owner. In this case, it can be used as a means of payment, which is permissible if there is a virtual wallet, key, means for identifying the owner, ticket, bonus card, and much more.
Scope of application
So, NFC in the phone - what is it? Answering this question, it is worth noting that at the moment such solutions have become increasingly widely and actively used in many areas. For example, through this technology, electronic tickets are booked and sold, paid for car parking and public transport. NFC tags are very actively used in the areas of entertainment and services, in the field of security and access control.
Bluetooth difference
The two technologies are similar in principle, but there is a very big difference between them. If we consider what NFC is, then it is worth noting that the main advantage of this technology is a short connection time of one tenth of a second. The short range makes this method of data translation significantly more secure. However, NFC supports 424 Kbps, which is much less than Bluetooth.
Modern stage of development
Contactless payment technologies have proven to be very advanced at the moment, and this has led to the emergence of cards such as MasterCard PayPass and Visa PayWave, which are equipped with built-in antennas and have an NFC function. This market has become so developed that now companies such as MasterCard, Google, Sprint, Citibank and First Data have formed a service called Google Wallet, installed on a number of Android smartphones. Using this application, you can easily turn your gadget into a credit card that allows you to pay in any terminal that supports PayPass.
What is NFC and how are labels used?
Labels in this case are small programmable information zones that are embedded in billboards, posters or on shelves with products in retail stores. If you touch any of them, you can get some additional information in the form of web addresses, maps or movie clips.
The process of working with labels involves a certain sequence of actions to obtain the information embedded in them.
What you need to do to scan tags
First you need to make sure that the NFC function on your phone is turned on and its screen is active. The phone should be placed above the tag so that it touches the NFC detection area. Next, your device will scan the tag, and after that it will show the content received from it. You should touch the contents, and then you open the label.
How to transfer a music file using NFC
To get started, you should make sure that the necessary function in your phone and recipient’s device is turned on, and that the screens of both gadgets are active. You can open the music player by going to the main screen, where “Multimedia” will be selected, and after it the “Music” icon. If the latter is not displayed, then you should touch the “Application screen” symbol, and after it - “Music”. To open the music library you need to visit the tab “My music”. After selecting a music category, you can proceed to selecting a track that will go to a friendly device. You should touch it to play, and then click on the pause. Broadcasting occurs only when a track is played or paused.
The transmitting and receiving phones should be turned with the opposite sides to each other so that they have contact zones of NFC recognition. When the connection is established, both devices will vibrate, and then the broadcast will begin. After vibration, the apparatus should be removed from each other. This prevents attempts to reconnect, which may interfere with the transfer process. When the process is completed, the receiving phone will start playing the received file automatically. At the same time, the track will be saved in the corresponding application.
Important points
So, if we talk about what NFC is, then it should be said about the presence of certain points, which can be called the "dark side" of this technology. Despite the fact that with the help of NFC it is possible to facilitate the solution of many everyday tasks, sometimes it significantly complicates life, if you look at it from a security point of view. This technology works exclusively at close range. If you do not use NFC then for complete protection and ensuring your safety, you can disable it. In this case, all its convenience simply disappears, but this allows you to use other methods. It all depends on the individual settings of the smartphone. If you use the device as a mobile wallet, but do not protect it with anything, then problems may well arise. Even PIN-code protection, unfortunately, does not always work when there is NFC in the phone. What is it - it becomes clear when the attacker takes advantage of your carelessness.
It is worth presenting such a scenario as the loss of the phone or its theft. Then the person who has found or stolen it will be able to use all payments and functions. However, it is worth being realistic here, because you can lose the keys to the apartment, car or wallet, which is fraught with the same danger. That is, NFC is as safe as the user decides.
First devices
NFC support first appeared on the Nokia 6131, released in 2006. However, such a function was completely useless and unclaimed, since at that time there was no infrastructure. The NFC module is currently equipped with a serial smartphone Sony Xperia S. This device is equipped with a dual-core processor and a 43-inch HD screen. It operates under the operating system from Google. Android NFC is no different from a similar feature on other platforms. This device comes with two NFC tags called XPERIA SmartTags, which allow you to program the launch of certain operations in the device within their range, for example, turning on the navigator or turning off Wi-Fi.
Intel has already taken up the issues of integrating NFC chips into next-generation ultrabooks, and this alone can guarantee that this technology has a great future.
The origin of the future
So, if we consider the NFC technology (how to use it is already a little understandable), then it is worth saying about who or what it owes its appearance to. In 2002, companies such as Sony and Phillips teamed up to develop a completely new radio standard, which was named. Prior to this, attempts were repeatedly made to formulate technologies of this kind: Phillips created the MIFARE technology, and Sony developed a similar development called FeliCa. Despite the fact that these technologies had a lot in common, they turned out to be incompatible with each other. The created standard was designed to absorb all the advantages of past developments, as well as open up opportunities for its application in practice.
Speaking about what NFC is, it is necessary to mention that since its inception and development, this technology has been focused on the implementation of interaction between different electronic devices between which there is no wired connection. As examples, it is appropriate to indicate personal computers, PDAs, mobile phones, video cameras, as well as other gadgets.
We can say about such a feature of the interaction of devices working with the support of this technology, such as quick initiation of communication between devices after they are brought to each other at a fairly close distance. After the connection is established, an attempt immediately occurs to transfer data between the devices.
For example, if you bring a working camera to the TV, provided that the NFC module works in both gadgets, the image transfer process will immediately begin. If a mobile phone or PDA is in close proximity to a personal computer, this will allow you to instantly start synchronization of the address book or some other documents.
Method of implementation and development prospects
NFC technology is implemented in the form of a chip operating in passive or active mode. The first option involves using the device as a pass or subway card, and the second - receiving information from passive devices, as well as sending it. At the moment, you can observe a not too intense distribution of this technology, but everything is already ready to conquer the world. Companies like Google and Apple are betting on it. You can already hear about the iPhone NFC, that is, these chips began to be added to Apple products. There are even SIM cards with a built-in chip that can work exclusively in passive mode.
In modern society, very bright prospects are open for using this technology for the purpose of using mobile devices for making contactless payments. It is possible that in a few years one smartphone will replace the user with a number of devices and devices.