More and more smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, printers and cameras support NFC technology: let’s find out what it is and all the supported devices.
If you recently bought a smartphone and for the final choice you have reviewed all the technical specifications in search of the best product, you will surely have come across the NFC entry . There are more and more devices that support this particular type of connectivity: not only smartphones, but also smartwatches , tablets , printers, digital cameras .
What is NFC and what is it for?
NFC stands for Near Field Communication and indicates a technology capable of wirelessly connecting two devices that are within a limited distance from each other. The short-range connection is for transferring small amounts of data. The distance does not exceed 10 cm, but for safety reasons, it may be reduced to just 3-4 cm.
To establish a connection, the devices must integrate the NFC chip . The association takes place automatically, you just need to bring them closer.
The fields of application are many, including:
- Electronic payments: NFC technology allows you to make electronic payments simply by placing our smartphone or smartwatch at the POS . Obviously, it is necessary to have previously associated a credit, debit or prepaid card with the service that allows this type of payments. There are several but the benchmark are Google Pay for Android devices and Apple Pay for iOS devices. Some manufacturers have developed proprietary services, such as Samsung Pay present on the South Korean giant’s smartphones .
- Data transfer: Some digital cameras and printers have NFC connectivity. In this way, we can immediately start printing a document on the smartphone by bringing it to the printer or transfer the photo taken with a professional camera to our mobile phone.
Then there are the NFC tags , real physical objects the size of a 1 euro coin that can be programmed to do something when they connect with a compatible device. Think of a museum . The NFC tag is placed near a picture. We bring our smartphone closer and the information on that work of art appears on the display. The tag can be programmed at will through an application on a smartphone or using specific programs on a computer.
Tag NFC
How to know if your smartphone has NFC
Not all smartphones enjoy the NFC chip. The high-end devices are all equipped with it but it may happen that the low-end ones do not have it. To find out if your smartphone supports this type of connectivity, you can go to the settings and follow small steps.
For Android devices:
- click on the gear symbol to access the settings
- select the “Connected devices” section
- if the NFC item is not present it means that your smartphone does not have it.
As far as Apple devices are concerned, you do not need to perform any steps because starting with iPhone 5s, iPad Air 2 and on all iPad Pro there is the presence of NFC.
Which smartphones and smartwatches have NFC?
There are many smartphones equipped with NFC. All top of the range such as Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13 support this technology. For lower-end devices, the advice is to check the data sheet before purchasing.
Smartphone con NFC
Fortunately, the NFC chip has begun to reach even lower-middle-range devices. Today it is possible to buy a smartphone with NFC even for under 300 euros. Even in this segment, the list can be quite large. The presence of the NFC chip, on the other hand, becomes obvious already starting from the mid-range.
Below, a selection of the best NFC smartphones starting from the low end:
- Samsung Galaxy A21s, one of the cheapest smartphones with NFC which – despite the low-end price – ensures satisfactory performance.
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11is among the best smartphones under 200 euros. In addition to the NFC chip, it offers a good data sheet, including 90 Hz AMOLED display and a 5,000 mAh battery.
- OPPO Reno8 Lite 5Gis OPPO’s proposal for the medium-low range with lots of support for the new 5G network standard and the notification LED surrounding the cameras.
- Samsung Galaxy A53,heir to the excellent Galaxy A52, arrived on the market a few months ago and ensures the usual excellent quality of Samsung products.
- Realme GT Neo2is the ideal smartphone for those looking for excellent performance but on a limited budget.
Starting from the range from 300 euros upwards, it is superfluous to make a selection since NFC is offered by all smartphones: from the Xiaomi 12 series to the Find X5 range, from the Galaxy S22 family to the iPhone 13 generation.
Smartwatch con NFC
As for smartwatches, the situation is a bit different. At the low end, the presence of the NFC chip is not as widespread. For example, on Xiaomi’s Mi Band we had to wait for Mi Band 6 to see NFC arrive in Italy too. In any case, the advice is always to read the technical data sheets carefully before purchasing.
Mi Band 6 NFC
All Apple Watches have NFC, as do the Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatches . For the more sporty, you can consider Garmin models , such as the Forerunner 955 , or even some Fitbit devices . If you are looking for a smartwatch, you can consult our dedicated guide ( here the link) in which we also specify whether they are equipped with NFC or not, making it easier for you to choose.
