Picture the following scenario. You head to your local supermarket to do some shopping and you full you r basket with all the items on your list. You head to the checkout counter and the cashier rings you up. Instead of reaching into your purse or pocket for your wallet, you just simply swipe your phone, or any other mobile device, across a special kiosk. The information from your phone is sent to a processing center for payment. This process is called NFC, Near Field Communications.
NFC was developed from the RFID tags and contactless payment systems technology and is being brought to forefront by companies, such as VeriFone, Google, Apple, and Microsoft. VeriFone, the POS giant, is incorporating the NFC technology into their current POS, Point of Sale, devices. Along with the aforementioned companies over 140 others, such as Sony, Samsung, and Motorola have jumped onto the NFC train.
Near Field Communications has unlimited usage potential as either an active reader or passive card, though mainly used for contactless payments. NFC was nicknamed, “the Digital Wallet,” because your mobile device can contain all the same information, like credit and/or debit card numbers, reward cards, bank account, and more that is in your physical wallet.
Due to the short range, approximately four inches, Near Field Communications is a perfect choice for safe payment transactions. This is especially true in the travel industry. Consumers will have the ability to purchase transportation tickets, hotel rooms, and goods across the globe in a secure method. Countries such as Japan, Germany and South Korea are already using NFC technology.
Other useful applications of NFC are in the healthcare industry to transmit patients’ information, doctor and nurse locations. Also, usage in social networking and media applications, such as automatically “checking-in” to Facebook, will be extensive.