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NFC is not a very popular technology among the general public. But it can be used in a wide variety of areas and simplifies many everyday tasks.

The titles you will read in this article:

• Compare NFC with Bluetooth and WiFi
• Instant data transfer with NFC
• NFC on iPhones
• Use NFC in Windows
• The future of NFC

Compare NFC with Bluetooth and WiFi

First of all, the main use of NFC is not to transfer and share multimedia files. But rather to securely transfer sensitive data when performing tasks such as payment activities. And comparing it to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is not very logical; However, in this section, we will briefly and generally compare these three common wireless communication tools.

• Speed
• Transmission range
• Security
• Ease of use

Speed

NFC  technology is definitely not comparable to Bluetooth and WiFi in terms of speed. NFC speeds of up to 400 kbps, Bluetooth speeds of up to 2 Mbps, and applications that use Wi-Fi to transfer files can reach speeds of up to 250 Mbps (although these numbers are only stated on paper and when using Bluetooth and apps). Mentioned, various factors cause a significant reduction in speed); Of course, these applications use different protocols for transferring files, which are beyond the scope of this article.

Transmission range

In this regard, NFC can not stand at all against its competitors; NFC can only transfer files at a distance of 4 cm, while Bluetooth can transfer files up to 10 meters. And this amount reaches 46 meters indoors and 92 meters outdoors using WiFi.

Security

NFC is the clear winner in this section, unlike the previous two sections; Because the protocol is encrypted, the ability to authenticate by entering the password and other security features of the communication tool makes it superior to Bluetooth. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are also vulnerable to hacking (although Wi-Fi security can be enhanced with various security methods and encryption, which are not discussed in this article); But NFC can only be hacked if the hacker is quite close to you.

Ease of use

To use NFC technology, all you have to do is turn it on on your phone and hold the two phones close together to transfer the file; But to use Bluetooth to pair it on both phones. You have to enter a PIN code on both phones and follow a series of other instructions. Using WiFi requires connecting to a WiFi network and using a router; Of course, to use NFC to transfer files, both devices must be on the same line; But Bluetooth and WiFi can transmit waves in all directions.

Instant Data transfer with NFC

The moment-to-moment transmission of essential information to people is important and even necessary in many places; NFC tags can alert people to this information instantly; For example, by installing these labels at public transport stations, passengers can be notified of definite or possible delays, changes in timetables, special discounts, or other items.

• Smart cards
• Creating a new system for presenting tickets and deleting old tickets
• Health and treatment
• Game

Smart cards

NFC smart cards include integrated circuits that can store information and communicate with terminals via NFC. These cards can be used as bank cards, electronic cards, and smart passports, and can be easily scanned with smartphones. In general, most contactless cards, including Visa and MasterCard bank cards, use NFC technology for payment.

Creating a new system for presenting tickets and deleting old tickets

NFC tags can also obliterate old paper tickets forever. Individuals can purchase a reserved seat ticket or activate their ticket by placing their handset on the pre-installed seat tags.

Health and treatment

NFC applications in this area include the ability to control people’s access towards and sensitive information (using an NFC phone) and control the entry.

And the exit of people in different wards of the hospital with the help of NFC tags, speed up updates of medical files and review of medical records, instant control The patient’s condition and quick access to necessary information about his medical records (which is very important in emergencies).

And other necessary information, monitoring the patient’s condition at home using braces equipped with technology and NFC tags (when the patient puts the bracelet on an NFC device is turned on, the necessary information is sent to the doctor’s office) and the necessary information about the medicines is provided (by affixing the labels on the medicine package and scanning them by the patient). Also, in the future, labels that detect temperature changes, blood sugar fluctuations, etc. will probably be offered to better monitor the patient’s condition.

Game

NFC technology has even penetrated the realm of computer games and toys and can be used to perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Interact between toys and NFC devices (read their data and store information on these devices)
• Using figurative toys (robot or sculpture toys) as one of the live characters in computer games on consoles Nintendo 2DS, 3DS and 3DS XL are capable of recognizing these toys).
• Ability to scan figurative toys with your phone and tablet to change some features of the toy or add new features to it (along with a feature video to get acquainted with it) as software in the application
• Embed NFC tags in-game cards to scan them for more information about them and update the digital version of the cards and create a team to play online
• By embedding an NFC reader on the follow-up games screen and placing NFC tags on dice, pieces, and cards, the game can be designed to play the sound or create a scorecard when something special happens. In addition, this can turn the smartphone into a gaming device and use it as a display to display animations, tricks, and useful tips or confidential messages to selected players.
• By placing NFC tags on the remote controls, their capabilities can be significantly increased.

NFC on iPhones

Apple was much later than other companies in equipping its phones with NFC and introduced the first NFC-equipped phones, namely iPhone 10S and iPhone 10R in 2018.

These phones do not require any special application to use NFC; Of course, users of these phones must use iOS 11 or later and NDEF-encoded tags to scan NFC tags (if the tags are not encrypted, the phone will not respond); Of course, if your iPhone has iOS 10 and is jailbroken, you can use the NFCWriter app (which costs $ 3 and can be used to write information on most labels) to NFC on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and 7 Plus are open and used for other applications besides mobile payment. After the release of iOS 13, it will be possible to write information on NFC tags with the appropriate application.

As for the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone 10, even after receiving iOS 13. These phones can not read NFC tags without using the app. TagInfo and NFC Launch apps are the best apps for scanning NFC tags with these phones. TagInfo has more features, But NFC Launch is a lighter application and is only designed to read links from tags.

Use NFC in Windows

In Windows 10, a new feature called Companion devices has been created that allows you to log in to Windows using NFC devices. This feature can greatly enhance the security of older computers or low-cost computers that do not have a fingerprint sensor or other hardware designed to enhance security. Follow the steps below to enable this feature in Windows 10:

To use this feature, you must first open the Local Group Policy Editor admin panel. This admin panel has only been created in Pro, Enterprise and Education versions. To open this panel, first, click on the Start menu and after selecting the Run option, enter gpedit.msc and press Enter.

The future of NFC

Undoubtedly, NFC applications will increase in the future; For example, gift cards may be labeled, or technologies such as authentication based on authentication and smart ID cards equipped with NFC tags may be added. At the same time, this technology can help reputable brands to offer their products to customers in a better way. The number of NFC devices worldwide is projected to increase to 2.2 by next year.