At what frequency does the phone's NFC work? NFC function on the phone - what is it and what is special about it. The history of the appearance of technology in the phone
All current Android smartphones have the top line of the screen literally filled with all sorts of symbols. Many of them are clear, familiar, and even useful: the notification panel informs you about new email messages, file downloads, the availability and quality of telephone and WiFi networks, battery charge level, etc. However, sometimes a mysterious letter N appears there, causing some suspicious users to feel slightly uneasy.
In this article we will talk about the function that is designated in Android devices by this very letter N, as well as how to disable it, and why you can do it right now.
What does the N symbol mean and what is NFC?
On the panel Android notifications an intricately designed letter N appears as a sign that the smartphone (or tablet) has turned on the NFC module. NFC - Near Field Communication - is a technology through which two nearby mobile devices can exchange data (sorry for such a simplified definition).
You've probably already heard about this technology and even seen it in action. In developed democracies, NFC is used everywhere: for example, in mobile payment systems (the most famous in our country are Android Pay and Samsung Pay) - this is when you can directly from your smartphone, smart bracelets and other smart devices. In addition, via NFC you can transfer any other data from one smartphone to another.
How to disable NFC in Android smartphone(and take the N icon from the notification panel)?
This one is simple. Most likely, on your Android you will find the option to disable NFC directly in the quick settings menu. That is, we swipe across the screen from top to bottom, and in the drop-down menu, somewhere next to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth symbols, we find an icon in the form of the same letter N as in the notification panel, with a caption next to it and, if the function is active, tap on it to turn it off.
If you didn’t find the letter N in the quick settings of your smartphone, then open the normal settings, then click “ More… " In chapter " Wireless network " and in the subsection " Transfer files and data » turn the NFC option switch to the « position Off ", after which the N symbol will disappear from the notification panel.
To disable or not to disable NFC?
Frankly speaking, at present there is practically no real benefit from NFC for the vast majority of Android users. Well, as we have already said, you can transfer photos or other files from one smartphone to another. Contactless mobile payment systems have not yet enjoyed such significant popularity among the population and, there is a suspicion that they will not be used for quite some time. The mentioned Android Pay and Samsung Pay, despite their very successful debut in the States, will not be coming to our area anytime soon.
So, if you are not in an American store right now, you can safely turn off the NFC function in your Android smartphone and thus save its battery power.
Hello, lovers of new (and not so new) technologies. In modern society, people have increasingly begun to use NFC, while many still have difficulty imagining what kind of technology NFC is and how to use it. Let's shed a handful of light on this issue and figure it out... what is NFC in your smartphone.
NFC on my phone. What else is this?
I don’t like to use boring terminology in my articles. Eh, how can I explain it to you in simple Russian language, what is NFC? It’s like “hello” from people, or it’s like dogs, when they meet, the first thing they do is sniff each other’s butts! In any case, all intelligent beings somehow connect before communicating with each other.
In the morning, when you come to work or university, you say hello to a friend. In this way, you identify your interlocutor and identify yourself in front of him. You kind of indicated “ Here I am! Pay attention to me" And after that you begin to exchange information (most often of little use).
Via NFC chips, only small amounts of information can be transmitted (up to about 1000 bytes). And if you need to transfer something weighty, for example, music or video, then NFC is used only for lightning-fast communication between gadgets, and the file transfer itself is carried out either via Bluetooth or via Wi-Fi.
Take, for example, . Some of them also have NFC chips installed, but, nevertheless, they did not become called NFC speakers because of this, right? The NFC chip in them is used only to quickly connect to another device. That's all.
How to use NFC on a smartphone?
You can use NFC technology on your smartphone in the most different ways depending on what you need to do. But the list of possibilities for its use is quite wide. Here are just a few of them: transfer content from one device to another, pay for travel on the subway, pay for purchases in a store (you need to link a bank card to your smartphone), use your phone as a door key, and so on. And it seems to me that this list will only grow with time.
As an example, we'll look at how to use NFC to transfer content from smartphone to smartphone. Naturally, NFC technology must be supported by both smartphones and turned on.
In the same way, you can use NFC on a smartphone, for example to transfer a bookmark (or link) from a browser, to transfer someone's phone number from your contacts list, and so on.
How to find out if your phone has NFC?
Are you interested in new technology and would like to know whether your smartphone (phone) has NFC or not? Now it is supported by almost all models of modern dialers, even some. First of all, pay attention to the inscriptions on your smartphone. If your smartphone supports this technology, then you will most likely see a characteristic inscription somewhere on the case or on the battery NFC(or NearFieldCommunication).
If such an inscription is nowhere on the body and under back cover If you don’t see it, then look in the phone menu. If you have an Android smartphone, then lower the curtain and click on the settings icon. There go to settings wireless communication and click on the " More…" And if you have an option to enable NFC here, then you definitely have it.
NFC tags for phones: where to get them and how to use them?
I don’t know, maybe it would be more correct to make a separate article about NFC tags for phones... Well, oh well, I’ll describe it in general right here.
What's happenedNFC tags for your phone? In essence, NFC tags are very small information storage devices (144 bytes - 1 kilobyte) and are capable of transmitting this information instantly over short distances.
This is what self-adhesive NFC tags look like
How to use tags? In short, using a special application on your smartphone ( NFC ReTag, for example), you program a set of NFC tags for different tasks so as not to perform them manually every time.
A striking example is when you get into a car and turn on the navigator on your smartphone every time. Using the tag and programming it just once, you stick the NFC tag directly onto the phone holder in your car. Now, every time you insert the phone into the holder, it will automatically launch the navigator. Convenient, you will agree.
Another such example is sleep. To avoid muting your phone at night (if that's what you do), place a programmed tag on the place where you usually put your phone before going to bed.
Where to getNFC tags? The easiest way, of course, is to buy them. For example, this can be done in almost any electronics store (in a large city) or in an online store, it will be cheaper. It will be even cheaper if you order them from China, but then you will have to wait a long time for them.
But purchasing is not the only way to get NFC tags. You can use any NFC chip from everyday use as an NFC tag for your phone. For example, if you don’t know, such chips are inside travel cards, inside bank cards with contactless payment technology, inside some electronic keys and so on. If you have any of this that you no longer use for its intended purpose, then you can safely use it as an NFC tag. Again, do not forget about the application for programming NFC tags.
Conclusion
Yes, it turned out to be so global to cover the topic of using NFC in a smartphone (phone), but there are almost no specifics. Well, I hope the article shed at least a little light on your questions. And if you still have questions, don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments.
Most modern phones, smartphones and tablets are equipped with a short-range communication chip. It can be used to make contactless payments and exchange various files with other similar devices. To use useful functionality you need to know how to enable NFC on Android.
Description of technology
NFC is a microchip that allows data exchange between two devices. The transfer of information is carried out only on a short distance due to radio frequencies. The chip is mounted directly into the body of a smartphone or tablet. Provides work special application Android Bim.
Before you figure out how to enable the NFC function on Android, you need to determine the presence of the technology on the device. You can determine the presence of a chip in the following ways:
How to turn it on
Enabling NFC mode on your phone is very easy. To do this, you need to perform the following steps sequentially:
Do I need to enable NFC on my smartphone when paying?
When making contactless payments through a terminal using a smartphone, you do not need to go into the application and turn on the mode. The chip will automatically start working when you wake up from sleep mode and remove the lock.
Payment using a smartphone has long become the norm. One movement replaced a whole chain of events: take out the card, insert it into the receiver, enter the password.
But that's not the only thing possible application modern wireless technologies. For example, NFC is ready now to reduce the time spent on routine actions to almost zero.
Now I’ll tell you how I use this smartphone function.
What is NFC and how to use it?
At its core, NFC is a continuation of the familiar RFID - an automatic identification method in which data stored on tags is read or written using radio signals. That is, this is another way to transmit information over a radio channel.
NFC devices are able to simultaneously receive and transmit data. In this way, they can monitor the RF field and detect inconsistencies if the received signal does not match the transmitted one.
Among the main features and advantages of NFC:
- work in passive mode without user intervention;
- short connection setup time (even compared to Bluetooth);
- short range (less than 20 cm);
- compatibility with existing RFID structures;
- ability to work with devices that are not equipped with power sources.
NFC-enabled devices: readers and tags
In order to actively use technology in life, you need devices that support it. Although NFC has clear advantages, there are not many devices that support it.
Smartphones have become the main carriers of NFC. They pretend to be a card (pass or payment), read passive tags (Tag) or information from unsupported cards (Troika and analogues), communicate and exchange information with each other. 
The latter function is not widely used due to the low transfer speed. And touching smartphones to each other to exchange a link takes longer than sending them via messenger.
Locks that use NFC cards instead of a key are quite common in the West. However, NFC can emulate the operation of regular RFID passes. And if they are used in your office, you can record the information in Google Pay and use your smartphone (but not always). 
Occasionally there are other devices equipped with NFC. The main part of them uses technology to establish fast communication between devices (later the devices are reconnected to a faster communication protocol; NFC is used only for the exchange of key information).
This list includes wireless speakers of some brands, smart Appliances, computer peripherals (printers, routers). 
I think you already know everything about bonus and payment cards. A very convenient function: attach your smartphone, log in with your fingerprint, pay or confirm the action.
At home or other places not related to professional activities, it makes no sense to use access systems or smart locks - they are very expensive.
Another thing is the use of NFC tags in the form of stickers with a chip similar to an RFID tag, as well as similar keychains and rings. 
These small programmable information zones are capable of sending information to the attached smartphone, launching certain applications for trusted devices, and even launching an entire sequence of actions, serving as a kind of trigger for running a macro stored on the mobile phone.
My home scripts
I use NFC quite actively. Many scenarios may seem redundant and even stupid - however, they make life easier for me, corresponding to certain habits and peculiarities of thinking.
Perhaps some of them will interest readers. Some may seem strange. Shall we discuss?
Hallway and public access
As my main home router, I use a Xiaomi R1D with built-in 1TB storage and additional USB storage. Under top cover The device's factory NFC tag is hidden.
The router is placed in the hallway closet in such a way that it is easily accessible, but the device remains out of sight. It's not just about aesthetics.
The NFC tag reveals the home password to guests Wi-Fi networks with read permissions shared folders internal storage of the router. Archives of family photographs, useful distributions and educational materials are stored here.
At work
My three-meter-long desktop is a treasure trove of hidden NFC tags. Each corresponds to a specific trigger, or a whole sequence of actions.
The main one is hidden in the smartphone holder: it turns on Wi-Fi and starts a chain of exchange processes - program updates, synchronization cloud services, archiving photos and files downloaded to your smartphone to your home NAS. 
It also stops the playback of any content on the smartphone, be it music, a movie or an audiobook.
The second area of the table is intended to be occupied by a 3D printer and a soldering iron. Nearby there is a label that forces the smartphone to turn on the speakerphone mode and automatically receive incoming calls. It also launches a reference application for electronic components.
Another tag is intended for testing new smartphones. It provides the administrator's Wi-Fi password, saves photos and screenshots from the device to a file exchanger, and starts downloading a software package for testing.
Front of the TV
A tag is hidden in the armrest of the sofa, which puts the smartphone into vibration mode and turns on the MiTVAssistant program to control the TV.
The zone next to it hides another tag that turns on Bluetooth, pairs the smartphone and TV set-top box, and then turns on music playback in Google Music.
In the bedroom
Everything here is incredibly simple: the mark lies on the bedside table. I put my smartphone down - the sound turned off, wireless interfaces, the economical power supply circuit is turned on.
And the alarm clock, of course, which starts the reverse process.
Now I'm planning to glue another one next to the crib. When touched, it will have to launch a separate program with a children's audiobook.
In the kitchen
The kitchen is conventionally divided into 2 zones: the dining room and the actual food preparation area. Accordingly, the layout of the marks is more complex than in the bedroom.
The first mark hangs on the refrigerator at the entrance. If you touch it, the smartphone communicates with the wireless speaker.
The other two are hiding next to the common table. One is for my wife's smartphone, it includes audiobooks. The second is mine, and it forces the smartphone to open an application with the latest news and weather forecast.
In transport
I do not use a car, since all my travel is now done by public transport and taxis. It costs several times less.
A bicycle is another matter. An NFC tag is also hidden in the smartphone holder on the steering wheel. I secured the smartphone - the navigator started, Bluetooth (connection with headphones), vibration turned off.
Personal items
Triggers are so convenient that they have found a place in clothes and bags and even a diary. The latter has 2 of them: hidden under the front side is a label that turns off sounds on the smartphone and turns on the application for creating tasks. On the back there is a label that returns everything back.
It seems that the days are long gone when you could notice the wide eyes of the seller at the checkout if you decided to pay for your purchase with a smartphone. NFC technology over the past few years has actively stepped into the masses (Apple played its role here with its own), but its main advantage turned out to be that the function is available not only expensive smartphones, but also for devices in the mid-price segment. Let's look at some of them and figure out how this technology works.
NFC is a high-frequency wireless communication technology with a short (no more than 10 cm) range. It works thanks to radio frequency identification (RFID): using radio signals, data from transponders is read and written. The connection establishment time between devices does not exceed 0.1 seconds. The operating frequency for NFC is 13.56 MHz, maximum speed data exchange does not exceed 400 Kbps.
How NFC works
NFC is based on electromagnetic induction: at a frequency of 13.56 MHz, the reader transmitter constantly emits a sine wave signal using an antenna. The sensor also has an antenna, and when the sensor and reader are at a distance sufficient for NFC to work, a magnetic field is generated alternating current in the reader coil. After this, a current is created in the second coil - the sensor. This energy is easily enough for the latter to operate, so NFC is capable of working with passive devices.
In passive mode, the reader creates an electromagnetic field, the NFC tag modulates it and generates a response. That is, the tag does not have to be connected to a power source or have a built-in battery, so its size can be reduced to a minimum.
In smartphones, the NFC antenna is usually secured under the back cover for a more stable signal. It allows the device to become not only a means of payment and a travel ticket, but also a key or store loyalty card. Moreover, the technology is available, including budget smartphones: NFC chip there is, for example, in , and .
What is NFC for?
There are currently three main applications for NFC. The first and most common is card emulation for contactless payments. Smartphone with NFC support may pose as a bank card or metro ticket. In this case, bank card data is stored not in the phone’s memory, but on a special chip, similar to that used in EMV standard cards. It encrypts all data, manages the authentication process and initiates payment transactions. The means of payment may be or more.
The second area of application of NFC is reader mode. In this mode, the smartphone acts as a scanner of NFC tags containing various additional information. Recently, NFC tags have begun to replace barcodes in Western stores. They can be found on food products in supermarkets and, by holding up an NFC-enabled device, you can find out the expiration date and composition of the product. NFC tags are also used to display interactive advertising information.