Near Field Communications

(NFC), is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish a connection that facilitates the sharing of data by touching or bringing them into close proximity.

This functionality is based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) standards including ISO/IEC 14443,  ISO/IEC 18092 and others defined by the NFC Forum, which was founded in 2004 by Nokia, Philips and Sony, and now has more than 160 members. The Forum also promotes NFC and certifies device compliance.

NFC devices are building popularity, as the Android / Google operating system can be used in contact-less payment systems, similar to those currently used in credit cards and electronic ticket smartcards. For example, Google Wallet allows consumers to store credit card and store loyalty card information in a virtual wallet and then use an NFC-enabled device at terminals that also accept MasterCard PayPass transactions. And in larger cities many parking meters and garages now use an NFC system for payments. Other countries, like Austria, Finland, Italy, and Germany are now using NFC ticketing systems for public transportation.

The NFC technology can be used in sharing social networking information and data between users, as contacts, photos, videos or files can be passed between user’s phones, and used to enjoy multi-player mobile games.

Smartphones equipped with NFC can be paired with automation technology, which allows for a change of phone settings, an application launch, or any number of commands. The applications for this technology is growing, almost on a daily basis because the most current uses for NFC can be utilized immediately by anyone anywhere with an NFC equipped smartphone and an NFC tag.