NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a technology that allows devices to communicate by touching each other. This technology is widely used in smartphones to allow two phones to interact with each other when placed back to back. For instance, you can use your phone to send pictures, music, and text messages to your friends’ phones by touching them together.
Many believe that NFC drains the battery more than other activities because it requires so much power. Is this true? Let us find that out.
Does NFC Drain The Battery?
Battery life is affected by NFC use, but this impact is so negligible that you wouldn’t even notice it. NFC could potentially reduce battery life, but in Android phones, the devices have safeguards in place to limit waste, and it is then operational in certain situations. If you don’t frequently use NFC during the day, having it enabled won’t significantly reduce battery life.
The power used to keep the NFC circuitry in standby mode is minimal, and the drain will be less than 0.5% daily. However, the voltage that must be pumped into the NFC board and circuitry to keep it at a functional level is probably relatively high. Like the HF RFID, NFC operates on the radio frequency system, particularly the 13.56 MHz radio frequency system. It has a power of 15 mA and can transfer data instantly over a distance of up to twenty centimeters between both devices.
So, as far as excessive battery usage is concerned, you have nothing to be worried about.
I. Functioning Of Near Field Communication
Near Field Communication is a relatively new technology, but when combined with MSP430 microcontrollers, it allows access to various applications.
Near-field communication connects two devices by transmitting data via electromagnetic radio fields. Because transactions occur over such a short distance, both devices must be equipped with NFC chips. NFC-enabled devices must be near or within a few centimeters of each other for data transfer.
II. Working
Bringing two devices close to one another allows the user to share any information securely. However, humans prefer to touch or connect objects, as with RFID smart cards, bringing them quite close is sufficient for a transaction to occur. Identification is made simpler by its short-range interaction across a few centimeters because there is less misunderstanding when gadgets can only communicate with nearby devices.
NFC chips replace RFID chips with microchips that can store and encrypt data. While RFID devices are passive and thus cannot access information, NFC-enabled devices can. One must know that NFC is an extended version of RFID technology, which tracks products, goods, and merchandise using radio waves.
An NFC-enabled device can function in reader/writer mode, peer-to-peer Mode, and card emulation mode:
1. Read/Writer Mode
The NFC device can read and/or write passive NFC tags and stickers. Point-of-sale (POS) systems, cell phones, tablets, and RFID-enabled cards are all examples of readers/writers.
2. Peer-to-Peer Mode
A peer-to-peer or P2P mode allows two NFC-enabled devices to exchange data directly with each other. A peer-to-peer device, for example, could exchange data with an RFID-enabled device or another type of NFC device.
3. Card Emulation Mode
An NFC-enabled device can be used as an NFC payment card or virtual credit/debit card. When activated in this Mode, an NFC-enabled device acts as a payment card, like a magnetic-stripe reader and another contactless card reader, and then you are then permitted to make payments on your phone directly.
The tag dispatch system
The tag dispatch system handles reading NDEF data from an NFC tag by analyzing discovered NFC tags, categorizing the data appropriately, and starting an application willing to participate in the categorized data. An application that wants to handle the data from a scanned NFC tag can declare an intent filter and request it.
Android includes a special tag dispatch system that analyses scanned NFC tags, parses them, and attempts to locate applications interested in the scanned data. It accomplishes this by:
- Parsing the NFC tag and determining the MIME type or URI that identifies the tag’s data payload.
- An intent is formed by encapsulating the MIME type or URI and the payload.
- Based on the intent, it initiates an activity.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of NFC
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FAQs
1. How long does NFC last?
NFIC can last up to ten years. The NFC (near field communication) tag comprises an antenna and a small passive IC chip, typically mounted on a PET substrate with an adhesive backing without any power source.
2. Does water damage NFC?
No, products with an NFC tag do not require special care, and the chip is water-resistant.
3. Is NFC Wired or wireless?
NFC (Near Field Communication) technology is a short-range, wireless technology that allows you to exchange information quickly and wirelessly between your device and other NFC-enabled devices, smart accessories, and NFC-enabled access points.
Final Takeaway
So, to conclude, NFC use affects battery life, but it is so minor that you would not notice it. NFC may reduce battery life, but safeguards are in place in Android phones to limit waste, which is then operational in certain situations. If you do not use NFC frequently during the day, having it enabled will not significantly reduce battery life.
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Featured Img Src: Kawe Mazidjatari, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
