What is nfs in the phone. NFC technology in a smartphone: what is it and how does it work? NFC - what is it

Near field communication (NFC) (translated as: “near field communication”) is a new short-range wireless high-frequency communication technology. nfc chip< дает возможность обмениваться данными между разными устройствами, находящимися на расстоянии 10 сантиметров. Данная технология является простым расширением существующего стандарта бесконтактных карт (классификация ISO 14443), объединяет рабочий интерфейс смарт-карт и считывателя в общее устройство. Такой прибор NFC способен поддерживать связь даже с существующими смарт-картами, а также со считывателями ISO 14443 стандарта, и прочими устройствами NFC и, может быть совместим с рабочей инфраструктурой бесконтактных карт, использующейся уже в общественном транспорте/платежных системах. NFC нацелена, в первую очередь, на использование в мобильных устройствах.

What is nfc module

The module is an external device that allows for rapid identification using a radio link at a distance. The short-range communication module operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz at speeds up to 424 kbps. This technology is based on the use of specialized chips (including telephone SIM cards) in communication devices. The widest spread of NFC technology in the near future is associated with the possibility of using it together with smartphones and mobile phones: a mobile device is equipped with a module (an external nfc module for a phone is suitable), which will allow the subscriber to make timely payments for services and goods, simply by bringing his phone closer to the reader. It is usually understood that the funds are debited from the client's bank account, and not from the account with the mobile operator. connections.

Types of modules

The main types of nfc modules are sim cards, external devices and chips. Also, you can use additional devices for communication and payment, such as NFC modules and stickers. The nfc module for the phone can be ordered separately, or it can be purchased already in the phone as built-in equipment. Stickers are attached to the body of the phone. There are passive and active. The first ones are not able to exchange data with the phone and do not make it possible to write information to the NFC device through the communication channels of the mobile operator. Active - use the Wi-Fi / Bluetooth communication channel to communicate with the device, which leads to increased power consumption, or the need for constant recharging of the module. A common drawback of such modules is the presence of a mount.

How to add an NFC chip to a smartphone

The first option is an NFC SIM card. They are produced by many mobile operators. Install a ready-made functional card in your smartphone and pay for purchases with a light touch on the terminal. Of course, call it quality replacement Apple Pay is not available because ongoing transactions are not encrypted and do not require fingerprint identification. In addition, the user will most likely have to open a new account with a mobile operator/bank. However, if he is the holder of a plastic card of one of the banks, the problem will disappear by itself. All you have to do is visit the salon. cellular communication, or a bank branch and get a SIM-card.

NFC antenna. Another working way. For all users whose phone or smartphone does not have a “near field” module in their arsenal, the path to “contactless” is a little more difficult. You will have to either replace the device, which is irrational, or equip it with an NFC antenna yourself. Contrary to popular belief, this is much easier to do than previously imagined. To do this, you need to purchase a special external NFC antenna. You can do this in mobile phone stores, then, by gluing it to the SIM card, install it under the cover of your mobile device.

A small remark: this operation will not work for owners of devices with a non-removable back cover and a side hole for SIM cards. You can install the module in almost all phone models. This solution is simple and will be used until phones with built-in NFC modules appear on the market.

Recently, you can increasingly hear the mention of a certain NFC technology in the context of electronic payments through a smartphone. Many use it without knowing either the name or the principle of operation. There are a lot of rumors around NFC that affect the security of personal data, money, and sometimes health. It is to explain these questions that this article was written.

NFC in the phone - what it is, how it works and where it is used

Deciphering the abbreviation NFC is literally translated into Russian as "near contactless communication." From the name, one can immediately conclude that one of the main features of NFC is that data is transmitted at a very close distance, up to 10 cm. Of course, nothing prevents the exchange of information at a distance of several centimeters via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but here it is worth understanding the details .

The principle of operation of NFC is based on the phenomenon of magnetic field induction, through which a short-range high-frequency data transmission between two devices at a frequency of 13.56 MHz is realized.

One reason for the existence of this technology is the need for security. It is logical that it is physically difficult to “hack” a contact that occurs in a small area, unlike other wireless connections. But what is the use of such technology if it cannot be used to communicate with a device even ten meters away? It's simple: NFC has a completely different focus. From the obvious - contactless payment by bringing the smartphone to the terminal. But this is far from the only area in which NFS can be used.

Examples of using the NFC chip:

1. Transfer media files, contacts or settings between smartphones.
2. Cashless payment. Perhaps the most popular use of the system, which is widely used in Russia. There are also various options: paying for travel, providing personal data by touch, etc.
3. Reading information. NFC tags in smart cards and other objects allow you to instantly enter information into your smartphone, for example, from a business card. NFC chips are small enough to be embedded in almost any item.
4. Some Sony TVs have a One Touch Mirroring feature that allows you to display video from your phone's memory on the TV screen.
5. Access control to various services or objects, where a device with an NFC chip is used instead of a key.

The first phone equipped with NFC appeared back in 2006 (Nokia 6131), but such devices have become widespread only in recent years, and now NFC can be found not only in flagships, but also in models of the middle price segment, and even budget smartphones.

Benefits of NFC

• Instant connection. NFC allows devices to connect without additional manipulations, entering settings and other things, it is enough to bring two gadgets with NFC chips to each other.
• Security. As already mentioned, the short range greatly complicates the process of hacking, but this does not mean that NFC does not have other means of protection. In addition, having lost a bank card, the risk of losing money on it is much higher than in the case of losing a phone, where funds are protected not only by a password, but also by the need to confirm access to the gadget itself.
• The convenience of use. You can add several bank cards to the smartphone’s memory at once and pay with them from one device, in addition, NFC works not only with bank cards, but also with transport and discount cards.

Which devices support NFC

Majority modern smartphones has support for this technology, but old or very budget solutions may be deprived of it. Some manufacturers put the name of the technology on the surface of the device case, but there is a more effective way to check if your smartphone has it:

1. Open the device settings menu.
2. Go to "Wireless Networks" or "Connected Devices".
3. Open More.
4. Find the NFC item.

And of course, you can always just google the name of your smartphone by adding NFC next to it, and everything will become clear.

How to pay by phone

Here we will consider the most popular way to use NFC - card emulation. Using emulation, you can create a virtual duplicate of the card and pay from your phone, as if from MasterCard PayPass or Visa Paywave cards, which are simply applied to the terminal to debit funds.

Smartphones with an NFC chip running Android OC make contactless payments using android apps Pay, which can be downloaded from the Play Market at the following link. Samsung phones work with the proprietary Samsung Pay application, which is usually preinstalled in the operating system out of the box. The principle of operation of both applications is completely identical.

A user who has never used a device unlock with a password, gesture or fingerprint will be forced to set up secure access to the device when launching Android Pay for the first time. This is a prerequisite for using contactless payment.

How to use Android Pay:

If you have connected more than one card, then you must first select the one that will be used for payment, if it is not set by default. Transactions are confirmed at the time of unlocking the smartphone using a code, pattern or fingerprint scanner. Payments in the amount of more than a thousand rubles, at the request of the seller, may need to be confirmed by entering a PIN code from a bank card in the terminal or by signing.

For quick access to NFC, pin the activation icon for this function in the notification shade so as not to look for it in the wilds of settings every time you need to pay.

How to pay with a smartphone in the subway or bus? This is done in a similar way: we launch Android Pay, confirm authorization and pay for the trip by touching the smartphone to the turnstile. In the same way, you can pay for admission to museums, exhibitions and similar places, without having to stand in line for a ticket.

Sharing data and files via NFC

Android Beam (or Samsung Beam on devices from the same manufacturer) is used to transfer files from smartphone to smartphone via NFC. Let's figure out how to send files via NFC:

Similarly, you can transfer other information, such as a list of contacts, which makes life much easier when switching from an old smartphone to a new one.

Conclusion

Since most smartphones have long been equipped with an NFC module, today the basis for changing the system of electronic payments is being formed. And despite the rather high popularity of NFC as a payment method, the demand for this technology (relative to its potential) is very small. In the future, NFC may become an integral part of our lives, as smartphones themselves once did, since it is really convenient to pay with your phone.

Articles and Lifehacks

Surely, many users have previously encountered the abbreviation NFC.

We will talk about what NFS is in a mobile phone, as well as the features of using this useful feature on Android.

NFC - what is it?

This is a special modern wireless communication technology, thanks to which it becomes possible to exchange information at high radio frequencies between devices at a short distance (about 10 centimeters).

In this case, the physical contact of the two phones is not required.

Previously, this technology was most widely used for contactless payments in the field of trade and transport services. Today it is known for its active implementation in the mobile field.

Almost every well-known equips their devices with NFC modules.

This allows us to use our mobile phone to communicate with various electronic equipment - for example, when we use it as a means of payment by installing a special program.

At the same time, the level of data protection is quite high.

Thus, our mobile device today can be used not only as a means of communication, but also for transmitting and receiving information, paying for purchases and purchasing transport tickets.

We have the right to make it a virtual payment card, or a pass to any enterprise.

In addition, it is very convenient to use NFC tags and smart cards, as well as quickly exchange information.

Today, technology allows people to pay not only with cash and a bank card, but also with a smartphone.

Contactless payments and mobile payment systems are the future, they are becoming popular every day. Google created Android Pay for its operating system (now), Samsung and Apple - systems of the same name with the prefix Pay. They work on the same principle - just bring the included unlocked smartphone to the contactless terminal.

Today we will tell you in detail how to use NFC, how to set up this feature, and what you need for this.

Smartphone with NFC

First and foremost, the device must be equipped with . It is he who is responsible for contactless transactions. If the gadget does not have NFC, unfortunately,. The operating system version must be Android 4.4 or higher.

How to find out if there is NFC:

• Ours.
• Official websites of manufacturers with a list of technical specifications.
• Settings - More / Advanced / Additional functions (depending on the version of Android and the proprietary shell). This section should have NFC and Android Beam features that need to be activated.

Supported card

This is the second most important condition. If the card does not support contactless payments or the bank for some reason gives an error when setting up the card, linking it to a smartphone and Android Pay will not work, an error will appear. In this case, you can either contact the bank with a request to reissue the card, or order a new one.

Almost all modern cards, including Sberbank (except Maestro), Alfa, Tinkov and others, support contactless payments. If you see such designations, then in most cases everything is fine.

Depending on the brand of smartphone, we download the application. As you know, all devices except Samsung and Apple need a program (now called Google Pay). It is on her example that we will show how contactless payment via NFC works.

After installing the application, you need to get a bank card in it: you can scan it through the gadget's camera or enter the number manually. You also need to fill in the expiration date, the name of the owner and the CSV code (three digits on the back side) with your hands. Then the entered data must be confirmed - an SMS message with a code will be sent to the phone number to which the card is linked.

When this operation is completed, the Android Pay interface will display bank card. At this stage, the application will definitely require you to set up a screen lock - these are Google's policies. You need to set a PIN graphic key or password. In the future, it will be possible with a fingerprint scanner, the main thing is that the device is unlocked.

NFC (Near Field Communication) is a fairly new data exchange technology that can send information at a distance of no more than 10 cm, while providing one hundred percent protection of it. For the first time, NFC was announced back in 2004, but only a couple of years ago the function became truly in demand. NFC is most often used in phones, smartphones and tablets for fast contactless payment, data transfer, and work with tags. What is NFC in a phone? This is what we will discuss in more detail in this article.

Initially, let's consider the short-range communication module specifically within the framework of a mobile device. When this is done, we will talk about technology and in general terms.

How to find out if your smartphone has NFC

In order to find out if there is a module in your device, you can go in two ways at once: look in the network settings or go to the review site and read the desired parameter there. The latter method is suitable for those who plan to buy a gadget and think about the presence of NFC in it.

So, let's start with the first method. Go to the gadget settings, namely to the network connections section. The presence of an NFC switch, contactless payment functions and Android Beam indicate that you have the desired module.

The second way to find out about the availability of the function we need is to visit any more or less reputable online store. Usually they indicate the presence of functions such as "NFS". For example, in the screenshot below you see data from Yandex.Market.

So, we have determined the presence of the module, we proceed to work with it.

How to enable NFC

Turning on the function is no more difficult than finding it in the menu. All you need to do is go to the settings section. Find the wireless networks tab and turn on Android Beam, as well as the NFC module itself.

Also, the button for turning on the technology for the convenience of the user can also be located in the “curtain” of the device.

No further action is required. When another device enters the coverage area of ​​the NFS wireless module, the data exchange function will turn on automatically.

From a simple inclusion, we pass to detailed instructions for next generation wireless communications.

How to use

Let's move on to the next stage of our story. Next, we will talk about how to use NFC in all its manifestations. Let's get started.

Contactless payments

Consider an example of using contactless payment via NFC and Sberbank. Naturally, if you have a different bank, you can do the same according to the same instructions. In smartphones with an installed operating system from Google, Android Rau is used for contactless payment.

Attention: if you received on your device, nothing will work because the security of the device has been violated.

1. Initially, we need to go to the Play Store and install Android Pay itself from there. Find the program in the search and click the install button.

1. Run the downloaded application and add your card. To do this, click on the plus icon.

1. As you can see, we already have one card, any number of payment accounts can be added to the program. Therefore, simply click on the item marked with the number "1", then the "Continue" button.

1. We will also need to accept the Android Pay terms of use.

1. In order for the payment card to be authenticated, we need to confirm our rights using SMS.

1. The application will automatically recognize the received code if we agree with this function. To do this, click "YES".

1. And this is what the code itself looks like in SMS. It must be entered manually if you have disabled automatic recognition.

Attention: as we have already said, in other banks, the instructions for linking a card, or rather, its authentication, may differ slightly.

After the card is linked, you can start paying at any store or other outlet that supports NFC. You may ask - but how do you know if a particular establishment supports Apple or Android Pay? It's simple, look for the icon. Which confirms this on the cash registers or the front doors of the store.

In some cases, you may be required to enter a PIN or sign a check. It depends directly on the bank and the type of card.

information exchange

You can transfer files between different devices using Android Beam or third party applications. Let's look at both options.

Android Beam

Also, with the help of NFC, we can exchange data with another Android or Apple phone. It is done like this:

1. We check that NFC and Android Beam are enabled on both devices (we showed how this is done a little earlier).
2. We open the content that we want to send and apply smartphones to each other with back covers.
3. The content on the screen of the transmitting device will decrease, and you will see a message stating that the file can be sent if you click on it. At the same time, a characteristic sound signal will sound. Click on the picture and hold your finger until the second signal follows. This is how we send the data.
4. We are waiting for the end of the transfer. You can learn about its progress from the "curtain" of notifications. It shows the upload progress bar.

This system has one feature. The fact is that the data transfer rate over NFC is quite low. Therefore, when you try to send a large file, 2 devices establish a connection, but the object itself is already transmitted via Bluetooth.

The following data applications are supported:

• gallery and file manager;
• browser;
• Play market;
• YouTube;
• Contacts;
• Google maps.

Don't forget that both devices must be unlocked. Otherwise, the transfer may not start.

Third Party Applications

Download Send! File Transfer(NFC) is available in the Play Market. The program has free version, which allows you to transfer any objects from one phone to another. Coordination of two devices is possible both via NFC and by scanning a QR code.

The data transfer itself is carried out via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. For the second case, you need supported Wi-Fi Direct on both devices.

Another program, Blue NFC, transfers files about Bluetooth, but it performs pairing and other service signals via NFC. This greatly reduces the transmission time. But in the end, the speed is still not the best.

The third app on our list, File Expert HD is already much faster. Its functionality is also much wider than in the same Blue NFC.

In conclusion of the review of clients for data exchange via NFC, let's recall the SuperBeam WiFi Direct Share program. Its peculiarity is that a Wi-Fi connection is established even if the devices do not support Wi-Fi Direct. The connection speed is over 2 MB / s, which is quite enough for comfortable file transfer.

For example, the same clip in FullHD quality can be transferred in just a few tens of seconds. Of course, NFC is used here only for the initial connection. The advantages of the program include the ability to transfer any type of files and integration into the menu of Android phones.

Reading, writing and using labels

There are special NFC tags (small plastic tokens, similar to electronic keys to entrances) with a memory capacity of only a few bytes. Available in different forms from stickers to overall plastic key rings. Such tags can carry any short information about a product or other object.

We can also make our own labels. To do this, you need to buy a "clean" disc and record. To enter our data into the memory of such objects, we can use the TagWriter program.

The following options are supported for writing NDEF data:

• link;
• text information;
• contact;
• email;
• SMS message;
• Bluetooth passkey;
• coordinates for determining the location;
• link to launch any program or open any file.

Also exists NFC program TagInfo which is able to read a color photo from a person's biometric passport.

True, in order to upload a photo, you will need to enter some verification information, and the download speed itself may require 10 - 20 seconds to download one picture.

This is how the preparation for recording with detailed information about the future file looks like.

The processing of data received from the tag in automatic mode will not always be complete. Very often, the device requests additional confirmation and only then performs the sequence of actions laid down in the NFC tag.

For example, if this is an SMS message, you read the tag and receive a completed form with the text and the recipient's number, but the sending itself will have to be confirmed manually. But if it is a link to any site, the transition is instantaneous.

Also, one should not forget about protecting the created label from the possibility of overwriting. Just check the write blocking box, and further code changes will become completely impossible. This is especially relevant when using technology in public places.

You should use the NFC tag system very carefully, because with its help an attacker can easily direct you to a phishing site and steal authorization data from a real account, including a bank one. Moreover, while in the telephone operating system There is no Android functionality to protect against such actions.

Sony branded phones use an advanced algorithm for working with NFC tags. Moreover, “out of the box” their recording is also supported. In the smartphones of the Japanese manufacturer, the Smart Connect application is installed, which can interact with original Sony tags.

SmartTag Maker allows you to write any information on blank blanks of NFC tags. Recording is in NDEF URI format. The following label categories are used:

• look;
• activity;
• office;
• the car;
• play;
• bedroom;
• listen.

Smart Connect can use not only NFC tags, but also devices such as a headset, charger, Bluetooth adapter, etc.

Labels also support a number of additional functions. For example, the recording time can be limited, a phone call is made, the brightness is adjusted, etc.

Pros and cons of NFC

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of NFC near field wireless technology.

Advantages:

• low power consumption;
• low cost;
• security;
• high connection speed.

Disadvantages:

• small radius of action;
• low data transfer rate;
• constant release of new versions and obsolescence of the previous ones.

Conclusion

NFC is a secure data transfer channel these days. You can even trust bank payments. The main circumstance hindering the rapid development of technology is the underequipment of telephones with such a module.

Although there are separately embedded chips that are purchased additionally. In this article, we figured out what NFC is in a phone and fully revealed all the nuances of the technology. You just have to consolidate your knowledge in practice.

Video

In order to understand the essence of the technology even more carefully, we recommend watching an overview video that tells about all the nuances of NFC.