Is your wallet just unnecessary baggage? 🏋️ Tired of carrying coins, old receipts, and payment cards? 💰 Do you value freedom and only carry your SIM-only phone with you? Thanks to NFC, you can pay contactless using your smartphone. How to do it? 🤔 We'll clear up any doubts in this post!
NFC: What is it?
Manufacturers are increasingly placing NFC chips in phones. NFC is actually short for Near Field Communication and means "close-range communication." 🤲 The NFC module is a wireless technology that uses radio waves and allows data transfer over short distances.
Devices should be no more than 20 cm apart. The technology works by generating electrical energy through the presence of a chip and antenna within a magnetic field. The consequence of this force is a signal transmitted between the smartphone and another device.
Check out this article too: How does the NFC function in a phone work?
NFC Function: What is it used for?
Using the NFC module in your phone is a huge convenience for mobile device owners.
NFC applications include:
- Mobile payments using your phone: you don't need to carry a payment card to pay for purchases in a store. You can use a mobile wallet (Google Pay or Apple Pay), which simply needs to be configured. Banking apps work with NFC thanks to the biometric technology built into the phone. 💪
- Connecting to headphones to transfer audio. 🎸
- Quick data and file transfer over short distances by touching two devices together. 📲
- The ability to purchase tickets for public transport in some modes of transport. 🎫
- Receiving signals from NFC tags: scanning a specific code will trigger a specific action, e.g., silencing your phone. The function can also be used for logging into a computer, unlocking a car, or monitoring health. ❤️🩹
How to add NFC to your phone?
The way to activate the service depends on the phone model. In most devices, you'll find the NFC module in the top toolbar.
Below is the instruction:
- Expand the notification bar and check if there's an option to enable NFC.
- If you haven't found this option, go to Settings.
- Then select Connections/Connectivity and find NFC Connections.
- After clicking on it, you should see the option to launch the NFC app.
You can also try to find tips on how to enable NFC in your device's manual. Some phones with NFC have this function in the settings menu.
How to pay with NFC?
To use this type of payment, you should have the bank's app installed on your smartphone. In most cases, simply enabling the NFC service on your device is enough. Do you have the app installed and the NFC module turned on? Bring your phone close to the payment reader, and the banking app will process the payment instantly. ⚡
Advantages of the NFC function
To better understand what NFC is in a phone, it's worth knowing the advantages of this solution. 💪 Users appreciate the technology for its speed and security.
The advantages of NFC technology include:
- The NFC chip is extremely small and can be placed almost anywhere.
- NFC technology has very low power consumption. NFC only needs a power source in one of the devices to work.
- The short range of the technology makes it difficult for potential attacks and information interception.
- Fast connection establishment with another device. In NFC, this can be 0.1 seconds, while Bluetooth takes 6-7 seconds.
- High compatibility with many devices and solutions. A phone with NFC can be used in many ways.
- It doesn't require manual pairing and device detection. Connection in NFC technology is established automatically when another device comes within sufficient range.
Is NFC safe?
One of the most important advantages of NFC is the security of using this technology. You can connect to a device located up to 20 centimeters away. It's impossible for someone to get close to your phone unnoticed.
The second issue is also the need to unlock devices. Pairing a device requires confirmation. Therefore, it's impossible for an unauthorized person to connect to your device.
Grab your smartphone, forget about your wallet, and head to your favorite store for some shopping. 🛍️ Pay with your phone using the convenient and secure NFC, and we'll take care of your comfortable journey full of adventures. 🛶
