Last Updated on March 31, 2022 by Tech Queries Team
These days mobile phones had been a great use for us. We can perform several activities on our phones like making a call, texting, browsing the internet, and more. However, there are lots of useful features hidden in our phones, like NFC, which most people aren’t aware of.
You will find the NFC option in almost all mobile phones. If it is available on all phones, then it must be an important and beneficial service. So, let’s understand what is NFC on Phone, what is the full form of NFC, NFC on Credit/Debit Cards, and how you can make use of it.
Table of Contents
NFC Full Form:
NFC full form is Near-Field Communication.
Also, check out What is SoC on Mobile Phones.
What is NFC on Phone?
We can assume by looking at the full form of NFC (stated above) that it is a communication service that works with Nearby devices. The three major factors of NFC are
- NFC is Fast
- It is easy to use
- And, it consumes less battery
Any Device or Service need to have an antenna to be able to make communication, whether it is radio, satellite, or any other device. The antenna sends and receives data. Similarly, there is an NFC antenna on your mobile. Some smartphones manufacturers place the Antenna in Batteries, and some in the back cover of the mobile phones, and some in different places of the device.
In simple words, NFC is a data transfer and online payment feature which is fast and easy to use. Below are the Top 5 uses of NFC.
Top 5 Uses of NFC:
Data Transfer:
If you have an NFC feature on both mobiles, then bring both mobiles together back to back and transfer data without pairing the devices.
Device Pairing:
NFC makes pairing with other devices a lot easy. For connecting a Bluetooth speaker, you should pair your device with the speaker in a lengthy process. However, with NFC, you can do it much faster without any effort. Just turn on the NFC option in your mobile and tap your mobile on the NFC compatible speaker (or any other device). It will automatically connect/pair both devices. Note: Both the devices must have the NFC feature for this feature to work.
Mobile Payments:
One of the most useful and most used features of NFC is Fast Mobile Payments. If you own Apple, Samsung, or Android mobiles, you must have seen the apps like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, etc. on the device. These apps work with the help of NFC. Most payment terminals are NFC enabled. It makes online payments a lot easier. However, several other mobile companies have adopted this feature now.
NFC Tags:
NFC tags allow you to store a small amount of data. You need to purchase NFC cards for this feature. Suppose you have stored contact information in the NFC tag. You can ask other users to simply scan the tag (with their NFC enabled) to read the contact information. Moreover, you can store various kinds of data like WiFi passwords, settings, etc.
NFC Business Cards:
NFC business cards are similar to the cards we usually see and use. It contains basic information about the person, like business name, address, and contact number. As the business card is physically small in size, the user cannot print more information.
But, an NFC business card has an NFC chip inside the business card. So, when another person taps his NFC enabled mobile on the card, he gets additional information like website address, social media profiles, location, business timings, and much more.
These are only some of the top uses of NFC. It is a new technology and will be used more in the coming days. The NFC feature is available only on a few devices. You can use the following link to check the list of Mobile Phones with the NFC feature.
NFC on other Devices:
Here we are talking only about What is NFC on Phone. However, NFC is a feature that can be used on other devices like smartwatches and materials like credit cards and debit cards.
NFC Credit/Debit Cards:
If you own a Credit Card, you may have seen a Wifi Symbol on the Card. It indicates that the Credit Card is NFC Enabled. With NFC-enabled cards, you can simply tap your card on the machine to transfer the money.
Thesedays, this feature is also available in Debit Cards as well.
To prevent theft, the feature is usually deactivated by default. You can turn it on using the Bank’s Mobile App and set a limit for NFC Transactions. By setting a limit, you can prevent heavy loss.
Cons of NFC:
I have written a lot about the advantages of using an NFC. However, it is my responsibility to tell you the disadvantages as well.
The main objective of NFC was to make it convenient for people to transfer data & money. NFC made it easy for lots of users. But, there is one big flaw in NFC, which is Security. NFC does not require any password or authentication. Therefore, it is easy for criminals to hack your data simply by bringing their devices near to yours.
Moreover, the NFC feature in your newly bought mobile is enabled by default. Hence, we suggest you keep the NFC feature disabled. You can turn it on when you want to use it and disable it as soon as the task is done.
For Credit & Debit Cards, we suggest you set a limit on the amount that can be transferred using NFC. Let’s say, you can set a limit of 20$. So, you can use the NFC feature for transferring 20 dollars at a time. You can increase or decrease the limit at any time by using the Bank’s Mobile Banking Application.
Conclusion on What is NFC on Phone:
You must have seen the term NFC while looking at mobile specifications or browsing the mobile settings. NFC is getting popular these days on Debit & Credit Cards.
When I got my first smartphone, I wondered what is NFC on my phone and how can NFC be useful for me. After getting partial information about NFC on the internet, I tried it myself. And, I found it really useful.
Therefore, I thought to provide proper information on NFC with a simple explanation so that everyone can understand and use it. Moreover, you need to be aware of the NFC feature as it has weak security. Hence, we recommend you turn off NFC on your mobile/card when not in use.
Comment below if you have any more queries regarding NFC and its features.