Illustration by Gordon Stunder
Already inside Google and Samsung's Nexus S, and on its way to a slew of other new devices, including the next iPhone, Near Field Communication (NFC) is poised to become the biggest new technology to hit smart phones since cameras.
A leap frog over Bluetooth, NFC is a short-range wireless communication protocol that enables a wide range of new functionalities for your phone merely by holding it close to the right object or other NFC-ready device. The tech lets phones interact not only with each other, but with anything bearing a special RFID chip, like posters, door handles, kiosks and more.
We took a look at some of NFC's most tantalizing prospects: an impressive array of activities that includes everything from paying for your coffee to getting into your car. Get a peak at the future of NFC, getting nearer all the time, by clicking below.
5. Mobile Payments
Mobile payments are all the rage thanks to startups like Square and big backers like Starbucks. But with NFC, no app or credit card will even be required—just wave your phone at a smart cash register and you can pay for goods using your synced account information. That means leaving the overstuffed, back-pain-inducing wallet at home.
4. Personalized Advertising and Promotions
With Near Field Communication, it's easy to tell anything you interact with who you are. That means ads in a poster or on the subway can hook you up with offers and special promotions that are directly tailored to you—just by tapping them with your phone. Like that magazine you're flipping through while in line at the grocery store? Subscribe to it instantly right then and there.
3. Painless Ticketing and Check-ins
Waiting in Will-Call lines or getting accosted by gatekeepers could be a thing of the past. With an NFC reader at the entrance, any event that requires ticketing would now only require your phone. With your ticket info stored electronically, just wave as you breeze on in.
And forget about opening up apps to "check in" to places: just tap your phone when you get there and it's done.
2. Easy Contact Sharing
Some apps, like Bump, have already attempted (with not always great success) to take the pain out of sharing contact info and other data with someone you have just met or are having a conversation with. With NFC, there's no guess work...or app opening. Just hold your phones close and get the option to swap phone numbers, calendars, music, and more.
1. Electronic Keys
Applications for NFC aren't all high tech: the protocol can be used for something as simple as unlocking doors. With your phone as your access key, you could simply tap it to your car or office door and quickly get inside—no fumbling through a keyring required.
