New NFC standard quadruples the range

With Release 15 of the specifications, NFC has been given up to four times the range. Among other things, this should make paying with a smartphone more convenient.

NFC should also become better for wearables

The most important part of the new NFC specifications is the extension of the maximum range of contactless NFC connections: It will be increased from just five millimeters to two centimeters. That doesn't sound like much, but quadrupling the range should reduce the need to align a smartphone or smartwatch as precisely as possible with the terminal when paying.

According to the NFC Forum, the standardization body responsible for near-field communication technology, NFC Release 15 should also improve reliability and speed, resulting in fewer failed or repeated interactions. The new release also improves performance for smaller devices such as smartwatches or rings that contain smaller NFC antennas.

New specifications for more complex interactions

The NFC Forum believes the new standard is necessary as NFC is being integrated into ever more compact devices, which users expect to handle increasingly “complex, sensitive interactions”. As examples, the consortium cites tap-to-mobile solutions such as Apple's Tap-to-Pay, with which smartphones can be used as payment terminals.

Another reason cited by the NFC Forum is the multipurpose tap function introduced last year. Thanks to the bidirectional capabilities of NFC devices, several actions can be carried out simultaneously. During a payment transaction, discounts, receipts and loyalty points can be managed simultaneously with just one tap, writes the forum. In addition, the increased range could optimize the use of NFC in various sectors such as cars, public transport or access control.

Another new feature of the new specifications is support for the (NFC) Digital Product Passport (NDPP) standard. This is a European Commission initiative designed to provide information on the origin, materials, and life cycle of a product and to promote transparency and circularity. Access to this information can be provided either via a QR code or NFC tag. The product passport will gradually become mandatory by 2027.

The technical specifications for NFC Release 15 are already available in the NFC Forum for “Associate”, “Principal” and “Sponsoring” member companies. Members at “Adopter” level and the public will have access from the fall. It will probably be a while before the first products based on the new specifications come onto the market.

(afl)