NFC technology in a smartphone: what is it and how does it work? NFC: what is it for and how to install The history of the technology in the phone

Today, technology allows people to pay not only with cash and a bank card, but also with a smartphone.

Contactless payments and mobile payment systems are the future; they are becoming popular every day. Google created Android Pay for its operating system (now), Samsung and Apple - systems of the same name with the Pay prefix. They work on the same principle - just bring the switched on, unlocked smartphone to the contactless terminal.

Today we will tell you in detail how to use NFC, how to set up this function, and what you need for this.

Smartphone with NFC

First and most importantly, the device must be equipped. He is the one responsible for contactless transactions. If the gadget does not have NFC, unfortunately, . The operating system version must be Android 4.4 and higher.

How to find out if NFC is available:

• Ours.
• Official websites of manufacturers with a list of technical specifications.
• Settings - More/Advanced/Additional functions (depending on the version of Android and the proprietary shell). This section should contain NFC and Android Beam features that need to be activated.

Supported card

This is the second most important condition. If the card does not support contactless payments or the bank for some reason gives an error when setting up the card, you will not be able to link it to a smartphone and Android Pay, an error will appear. In this case, you can either contact the bank with a request to reissue the card, or order a new one.

Almost all modern cards, including Sberbank (except Maestro), Alfa, Tinkov and others, support contactless payments. If you see such symbols, then in most cases everything is fine.

Depending on the brand of smartphone, download the application. As is clear, all devices except Samsung and Apple require a program (now called Google Pay). It is with her example that we will show how contactless payment via NFC works.

After installing the application, you need to create a bank card in it: you can scan it through the gadget’s camera or enter the number manually. You also need to manually fill in the expiration date, owner’s name and CSV code (three digits on the back). Then the entered data must be confirmed - an SMS message with a code will be sent to the phone number to which the card is linked.

When this operation is completed, the bank card will appear in the Android Pay interface. At this stage, the application will definitely require you to set up a screen lock - these are Google's policies. You need to set a PIN code, pattern or password. In the future, it will be possible if you have a fingerprint scanner, the main thing is that the device is unlocked.

NFC (Near Field Communication) is one of the types of wireless communications that operates at a very close distance - all new and modern smartphones, as a rule, have it on board even when they leave the factory. However, you can’t expect the presence of a corresponding chip from older devices or low-budget devices. What benefits does the NFC chip bring?

• First of all, NFC makes sense to use for everyday activities, since every day the user must repeatedly change certain settings, for example, adjust the sound, activate Bluetooth or WLAN, turn GPS on and off.
• NFC automates changes to settings because you can store the relevant information in so-called NFC tags. Then you simply read the desired tag with your smartphone and the saved settings take effect.
• NFC is also excellent for automatically launching applications, also in combination with an NFC tag, on which you can save a command, for example, turn off Bluetooth and WLAN in the evening, while simultaneously opening the alarm clock application.
• NFC can also be used as a business card or greeting card. In the first case, you can save all the necessary personal information on your NFC card, to which you can attach links to a website or social media channels. The other user can then simply hold their smartphone over the NFC card and receive all your contact details directly.
• It makes sense to send a personalized digital greeting card primarily in combination with a real card. So, for example, you can not only congratulate a friend on his birthday in a letter, but also put an NFC tag in the envelope, with which the recipient can watch a video on YouTube or a couple of pictures saved in the cloud service.
• For all fans of order, NFC also offers one extremely interesting option: for example, when moving, you can stick tags on boxes and then view its contents with just a touch of your smartphone. Tags are also great for keeping your basement or attic tidy.
• Well, in the end, NFC makes it possible to pay wirelessly via a smartphone, even if payment systems such as Android Pay or Apple Pay are not available.

Installing NFC - the first option

In general, you have three different options to equip your smartphone with NFC functionality. Of course, none of them can completely replace the NFC chip integrated by the manufacturer, since such an upgrade is possible only with restrictions.

• Perhaps the simplest option is to simply glue the NFC tag to the back cover of the smartphone or, if it is not too thick, hide it under the case.
• The phone will then be able to control and manage the NFC tags in a completely normal way, since the tags can “talk” to each other. In addition, this method has one advantage: in this form, the function does not consume battery power.
• Of course, no other settings can be applied, since the system cannot connect to the NFC tag.
• For this reason, you won't be able to use apps like NFC Tools because they require system access to the NFC chip.
• Of course, you can use other devices equipped with an NFC module to read information from the NFC tag on your smartphone.

Installing NFC - the second option

The second option for equipping your phone with the NFC function is several years old, but it is extremely effective.

• An SD card with an NFC chip is used. Of course, your smartphone must have a Micro-SD card slot for this option to be considered at all.
• The advantage of this method: the system can access the chip and then the use of the above-mentioned applications becomes possible.
• The supplier of this kind of Micro-SD cards is a company called Moneto.
• But a mobile payment service provider like DeviceFidelity, for example, offers similar solutions with which you can not only make payments, but also use the rest of the NFC functionality.
• However, there are often problems with MicroSD card availability, so this option may be difficult to implement.

Installing NFC - option three

Installing NFC: NFC cover

And finally, there is still the option of replacing the back cover of your smartphone yourself.

• Be careful: when performing this procedure, you may completely void the warranty on your smartphone, especially if you damage anything inside the device.
• If you do decide to replace the back cover, then the main task is only to install the back cover with an integrated NFC chip.
• After this, the system will gain access to the chip, and therefore the full range of NFC functionality will become available to you.
• Whether such a back cover exists for your smartphone, you can check, for example, on Amazon.com.
• Removing the back cover is different for each device. Depending on the model and manufacturer, you may even need an additional tool.
• Given all this, you should only start replacing the back panel of your smartphone if you understand exactly what will need to be done and take into account what difficulties may arise along the way.
• Therefore, this last method is not the most comfortable, but for smartphone connoisseurs it may be worthy of attention.

Why are more and more mobile manufacturers equipping smartphones with an NFC chip, and what opportunities does this technology open up for 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 base that does not provide a clear solution for use, 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. Place the card on the back of the phone to read it.
5. Remember the password for payment transactions sent in an SMS message.

The next method of using technology is data exchange. Using the Android Beam program, you can transfer various files from one mobile device to another. However, the transfer 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 carried out via a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection: Send! File Transfer, File Expert HD and Super Beam WiFi Direct Share.

The next method is reading and writing tags. This function works similarly, only the NFC chip is used rather than the 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 connecting a 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 templates used not only with the NFC interface, but also with a headset, Bluetooth devices, power supply, etc.

Bottom line

Each user decides for himself whether he needs the additional NFC function in his smartphone or not. However, this technology is being used in an increasing number of 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.

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, recently, 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 Android operating system, NFC support appeared in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - its built-in Beam function 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 automatically turn on Android 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.

Sharing data 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, a beep will sound indicating that the devices have detected 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

You cannot share APK files using NFC. Instead, the sending device sends the other device a link to the app in the Google Play Store, and the recipient opens a page in the Market offering 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.

YouTube video sharing

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 a 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 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 ability to quickly 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.

Near field communication (NFC) is a new short-range wireless high-frequency communication technology. Nfc chip< дает возможность обмениваться данными между разными устройствами, находящимися на расстоянии 10 сантиметров. Данная технология является простым расширением существующего стандарта бесконтактных карт (классификация ISO 14443), объединяет рабочий интерфейс смарт-карт и считывателя в общее устройство. Такой прибор NFC способен поддерживать связь даже с существующими смарт-картами, а также со считывателями ISO 14443 стандарта, и прочими устройствами NFC и, может быть совместим с рабочей инфраструктурой бесконтактных карт, использующейся уже в общественном транспорте/платежных системах. NFC нацелена, в первую очередь, на использование в мобильных устройствах.

What is an NFC module

A module is an external device that allows for rapid identification using a radio communication channel at a distance. The short-range communication module operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz with speeds up to 424 kbit/s. This technology is based on the use of specialized chips (including in telephone SIM cards) in communication devices. The widest spread of NFC technology in the near future is associated with the possibility of using it in conjunction with smartphones and mobile phones: the mobile device is equipped with a module (an external NFC module for the phone will do), which will allow the subscriber to make timely payments for services and goods by simply bringing their phone closer to the reader. It is usually understood that funds are debited from the client’s bank account, and not from the account with the mobile operator. communications.

Types of modules

The main types of NFC modules are SIM cards, external devices and chips. You can also use additional devices for communication and payment, such as NFC modules and stickers. The NFC module for the phone can be ordered separately, or it can be purchased already in the phone as built-in equipment. Stickers are attached to the phone body. There are passive and active. The first ones are not able to exchange data with the phone and do not allow you to write information to an NFC device through the communication channels of a mobile operator. Active - use the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth communication channel to communicate with the device, which leads to increased power consumption or the need to constantly recharge the module. A common drawback of such modules is the presence of fastenings.

How to add an NFC chip to a smartphone

The first option is an NFC SIM card. They are produced by many mobile operators. Install the ready-made functional card into your smartphone and pay for purchases with a light touch on the terminal. Of course, this cannot be called a high-quality replacement for Apple Pay, since ongoing transactions are not encrypted and do not require fingerprint identification. In addition, the user will probably have to open a new account with the mobile operator/bank. However, if he is a holder of a plastic card from one of the banks, the problem will disappear by itself. All you have to do is visit a mobile phone store or a bank branch and get a SIM card.

NFC antenna. Another working method. For all users whose phone or smartphone does not have a “near-field” module in their arsenal, the path to “contactless” is a little more difficult. You will have to either replace the device, which is irrational, or equip it with an NFC antenna yourself. Contrary to popular belief, this is much easier to do than previously imagined. To do this, you need to purchase a special external NFC antenna. This can be done in cellular communication stores, then, by gluing it to the SIM card, install it under the cover of your mobile device.

A small note: owners of devices with a non-removable back cover and a side hole for SIM cards will not be able to perform this operation. The module can be installed in almost all phone models. This solution is simple and will be used until phones with built-in NFC modules appear on the market.