Have you heard of NFC technology? Maybe you’ve heard about/seen it and you’re wondering what it is, or perhaps you’re considering using it in your business. Whatever the case, I’m here to give you the lowdown on this exciting technology.
First off, let’s start with the basics. NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and it’s a wireless technology that allows two devices to communicate with each other when they’re close together. NFC works by sending small amounts of data between devices via radio waves. The range of NFC is typically within a few centimeters, so it’s not suitable for long-range communication like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Now, you might be thinking, “That sounds a lot like Bluetooth. What’s the difference?” Well, while Bluetooth is great for connecting devices over longer distances, NFC has some distinct advantages. For one, NFC is much faster than Bluetooth when it comes to pairing devices. Instead of waiting for devices to search for each other and connect, NFC devices can simply touch or be held close together to initiate communication.
Another advantage of NFC is that it’s more secure than Bluetooth. With NFC, the devices have to be very close to each other for communication to occur, which means it’s much harder for hackers to intercept the data being transmitted. This makes NFC a popular choice for mobile payments, which I’ll go over later.
Now, you might be wondering how long NFC technology has been around. While it might seem like a new development, NFC has actually been around since the early 2000s. It was developed as a joint venture between Sony and Philips, and it was originally intended for contactless payment systems. However, it took a while for the technology to gain traction, and it wasn’t until the mid-2010s that NFC started to become more mainstream.
So, how is NFC technology up and coming in the world and the market? Well, there are a few reasons for this. For one, more and more devices are coming equipped with NFC capabilities. Smartphones have been incorporating NFC technology for several years now, and other devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers are starting to follow suit. This means that NFC is becoming more accessible to everyday consumers, which is driving demand for NFC-enabled products and services.
Additionally, businesses are starting to realize the potential of NFC technology. As I mentioned earlier, NFC is a popular choice for mobile payments. This is because it’s fast, secure, and convenient. Customers can simply tap their NFC-enabled phone or payment card to a terminal to complete a transaction, without the need for cash or a physical card. This has led to the rise of services like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Wallet, which allow customers to make payments with their phones.
But NFC isn’t just useful for mobile payments. It can also be used for things like access control and ticketing. For example, some businesses are using NFC-enabled wristbands to grant access to events or venues. When I went to Rolling Loud in New York, they gave us wristbands with NFC technology. Instead of having to scan a paper ticket or barcode, we simply had to tap our wristband to a terminal to gain entry, which was much more convenient than manually pulling it up on your phone or carrying around a physical paper ticket.
Another example of how NFC technology can be utilized is through networking. In class, we have had guest speakers discuss how important it is to get your name out there and make new connections. Using NFC technology is a great way to do so while also standing out from the rest. By placing a NFC chip inside of a basic PVC card, you can hold this card to someone’s phone and have your website, Instagram, Snapchat, email, and much more show up on the other person’s phone. A popular company doing this right now is dotcards.net. Many of you might have seen ads from them all over Instagram. Instead of having to give out physical business cards that will most likely be thrown away or lost, you can tap your card up to someone’s phone and instantly give them any of your social media pages and/or contact info.
So, what are some other examples of businesses utilizing NFC technology? Well, as I mentioned earlier, mobile payment services like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are using NFC to enable contactless payments. But there are plenty of other examples as well. For instance, some car manufacturers are incorporating NFC technology into their vehicles to allow for keyless entry and ignition. Some hotels are using NFC-enabled room keys that guests can access with their smartphones. And some retailers are using NFC to create interactive displays that customers can interact with using their phones.
In conclusion, NFC technology is a fascinating development that has the potential to transform the way we interact with technology. Its fast, secure, and convenient nature makes it an attractive choice for various applications, from mobile payments to networking. As more and more devices come equipped with NFC capabilities, we can expect to see even more creative uses of this technology in the future.
***Quick Side Note***
After our trip to New York last year, my friend and I have been working on launching our own company that sells NFC cards, so I wanted to mention it in this post to further show its uses. My friend/business partner, Wyatt, has gained a large following on platforms such as TikTok and Youtube. When he records videos, many people ask him what his account is. Instead of having to manually type/spell it out, all we do is tap our NFC card to their phone, and his website pops up with all of his social media accounts. The problem we found is that consumers only have two options to get their hands on their own NFC card. You can either wholesale it, meaning you have to buy a minimum of ~100 blank cards online, or you buy from a company selling them, which leads to the following problems. Every company doing this right now, like dotcards.net, doesn’t allow for any personalization to the card. You can’t design the physical card itself, and it always comes with their logo slapped onto it. As a content creator, small business owner, or anyone else trying to stand out, this is a problem when trying to specifically promote you or your business. Not only that, but every company doing this doesn’t allow you to customize the NFC link associated with the card. They all bring you to a skeletal layout, where you input your own (limited) information that can’t be changed or customized. Because of all of this, we are launching Custom (website is unfinished), which will allow users to freely customize their card physically and internally. Our logo is no where on the card and you can (very easily) code the card to send users to any page or function. This includes sharing your website, any social media account directly, sharing a WIFI password, connecting to a Bluetooth device, navigating to a GPS location, add a contact, and much more. To anyone that made it this far, thanks for reading. I thought this would be cool to talk about given this is partially an entrepreneurship class, and this product is using new and emerging technology.
Sources:
Really great post! I love the focus on the technology as well, and also the side note about some of the issues they’re facing. That’s exactly the type of problems that entrepreneurs go into solve! Nice work!
Neat post Alex! I don’t know but I always think of NFC chip implants and people having the chip embedded into their hands. This is just crazy. I am still waiting for the day Walmart and Kroger allow for NFC payment. They have been holding out for far too long now.
Andy, that would be a cool idea! It could very easily be a part of our future, especially since I can’t think of too many downsides. If it’s in your hand, I’m sure it would be a safe and easy procedure. Also, it could be easily re-coded while remaining in your hand and used for multiple purposes. Thanks for the comment.
Hello Alex! This was a great post. I liked how you talked about the history of NFC payments and then dived into talking about your future aspirations. I think it’s pretty cool how you came with the idea to customize these cards and I hope everything turns out well.
Great post Alex! I have been really interested in NFC technology since it was first introduced into phones around the time I was in middle school. I remember seeing tap points to get information at random places and it got me excited at a young age. It is a cool technology and my most useful case of this tech is in the laundry room at my apartment, where I can tap on a machine to get to the page to pay, really useful!
Hey Alex, great post and super informative about NFC technology. I always knew I could use my phone for mobile payments such as ApplePay, but never knew what exactly was allowing me to do so. Also, keep up the great work on your business and website. The website looks really good and the concept behind your product is even better. Thanks for sharing.