10/31/2020 What is NFC?

Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

Downloads More

MOBILE

What is NFC? Here’s everything

you need to know
By Simon Hill
October 28, 2020

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 1/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

All of today’s smartphones are equipped

with NFC technology. Whether you
realize it or not, your phone is likely using
NFC right now. But don’t worry — NFC
uses minimal battery and processing
power while offering a host of benefits
that improve the functionality of your
device.

Although it’s widely used in peer-to-peer

payment and data transfer apps, NFC has
many more applications that can make
your life easier. Read on to find out how
you can fully take advantage of your
phone’s NFC capability.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 2/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

What is NFC?

NFC stands for near-field

communication and it allows phones,
tablets, laptops, and other devices to
easily share data with other NFC-
equipped devices. It evolved from radio-
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 3/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

frequency identification (RFID)

technology. RFID is behind those
security scan cards that get you into the
office every day or bypass that tollbooth
on your morning commute.

NFC is very much like RFID, but NFC is

limited to communication within about
four inches, which is why you have to
hold your phone so close to the
contactless reader if you’re using Apple
Pay or Samsung Pay. Most people
consider NFC’s small radius a major
security benefit, and it’s one of the
reasons that NFC has taken off as a
secure alternative to credit cards. The
technology can be used for more than

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 4/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

buying coffee at Starbucks, however.

NFC can also transfer data like videos,
contact information, and photos between
two NFC-enabled devices.

How does NFC work?

Unlike Bluetooth, NFC doesn’t require

any kind of manual pairing or device
discovery to transfer data. With NFC, a
connection is automatically started when
another NFC device enters into that
previously specified four-inch range.
Once in range, the two devices instantly
communicate and send prompts to the
user. There’s huge potential with NFC.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 5/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

Listed below are three major ways we

already use NFC between devices.

ADVERTISEMENT

NFC payments

How to use Google Pay

Everything you need to know about

Samsung Pay

How to use Apple Pay

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 6/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

Mobile payments

As consumerism gradually transitions to

a cashless world, mobile payments have
become a popular method of transaction.
With the cooperation of banks and the
biometric technology equipped on most
modern smartphones, making a mobile
payment is secure and convenient.
Placing your smartphone within four
inches of the contactless reader in a
store will prompt your digital wallet or
passbook to pop up and ask you to
confirm payment. With Apple Pay, this
means placing your finger on the home
button, which houses the Touch ID
function, or double pressing your power
button to scan your face with Face ID. It
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 7/26
10/31/2020 What is NFC? Here's Everything You Need to Know | Digital Trends

also works with Google Pay and

Samsung Pay.

ADVERTISEMENT

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-nfc/ 8/26