Near field communication (NFC) has come a long way since its introduction in the 80’s. It has now become a standard feature in mobile devices, following in the footsteps of its predecessors, GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. This year, it is expected that the number of NFC-enabled devices in use will exceed 500 million – and continue to grow. By 2018, it’s expected that 2 in 3 smartphones will come equipped with NFC.
While it’s true that smartphones account for the majority of NFC-enabled devices in today’s market, ABI Research reported earlier this year that as NFC grows, it will increasingly be available in many more products such as computers, digital cameras, printers, home appliances and automotive products.
With NFC spreading further into our lives through different applications and use cases, it is sure to be part of many conversations at next month’s CTIA 2014, North America’s largest forum for mobile innovation. Dubbed “Super Mobility Week,” CTIA is all about showcasing technologies that change the way we interact with the world, a description that certainly applies to NFC. It has the potential to be one of the most disruptive technologies of the century due to its potential to add speed and convenience to a wide variety of applications including access control, data transfer, identity, payments, connectivity, computing, marketing and advertising.
Some innovative NFC application demonstrations to look out for on the CTIA 2014 show floor include:
- Device pairing: Devices can be paired to other devices or NFC tags to do things like turn your ringer off when you step into the office
- Digital content access: By using your NFC-capable smart phone, you can scan a poster or billboard embedded with an NFC tag to connect to digital advertisements, coupons and loyalty rewards
- Contactless transactions: Pay for services and goods or use a digital ticket for access to public transit, concert venues, museums and events
- Secure building access: Store your personal information to access secure locations
With all of these possibilities for NFC to change the way we connect and share information with the world around us, it is sure to be a conversation-starter at CTIA. We look forward to learning with you and seeing you in our booth #4652.
