NFC payment has become a quite popular feature in smartphones for the past couple of years now. But what is it exactly? What is the use of this technology? Let’s get right into it.
What is NFC? How does it work?
NFC stands for Near-Field Communication which allows two devices placed side by side to exchange data as well as allows users to make secure transactions. Both devices must have an NFC chip in order for this to work. Just like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, this is easy to use. NFC works on the principle of sending information over radio waves. The technology used in NFC is based on older RFID (Radio-frequency identification) ideas, which used electromagnetic induction in order to transmit information. You can use this feature using 2 ways:
- You can use this technology to make secure transactions using your mobile phone without carrying your card everywhere. You can leave your wallet at home and do not need to worry about payments as your smartphone will do that for you. Just place your phone on top of the card reader and make your payment. It is as simple as that. Here is a sample video showing payment done using NFC:
- The second use of this feature is that you can transfer data between two devices. The data can be contacts, documents, apps/online content. In order for this to work, both devices should be kept nearby and both of them should have NFC feature enabled.
This technology is slowly gaining popularity and it won’t be wrong to assume that this feature is all set to be the future of online payments. It is fast, contact-less and secure. Here’s a list of some of the smartphones that are NFC enabled:
