The NFC Forum has proclaimed NFC Release 15, a fresh standard that improves mobile payments such as Apple Pay by quadrupling the range of contactless connections. At present, devices must be within 0.5cm of a POS terminal, but the updated protocol permits connections at 2cm, benefiting users of devices such as Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch. This enhancement will also support users of digital car keys, mobile transit cards, and NFC-enabled headphones, as connections will be faster and require less accurate alignment.
NFC Forum Executive Director Mike McCamon emphasized that increasing the range was a significant focus to address market demands and enable swifter transactions across all NFC-equipped devices, including wearables and smartphones. The new standard is projected to improve user experiences and support new applications, such as utilizing mobile phones as payment terminals, while enhancing NFC functionality in fields like automotive, transit, and access control.
The NFC Forum, a governing body comprising industry leaders like Apple, Google, and others, has been defining NFC specifications for more than twenty years. Certification compliance for NFC Release 15 is set to commence later this autumn.
