NFC just got better — here's what's new

The new generation of NFC specifications, called Release 15, extends the operating distance from the current 5 mm to 2 cm. The increased radius means that smartwatches, smart rings, and other compact devices no longer need to be carefully aligned with the terminal in order to pay for a purchase or read a tag.

Android Authority writes about it.

What has changed

The main innovation in Release 15 is the fourfold increase in the range of contactless connections. This will make connections faster and more reliable: NFC chips will have a wider "touch zone," so users won't have to "dance with their wrists" in search of the activation point. The range is still short, so an explicit action is required to start data exchange, but the process will now be much more comfortable.

The standard also supports the NFC Digital Product Passport (NDPP) concept. It provides that a single tag in a product can store both standard and extended passport information in NDEF format, and thanks to this technology, a smartphone will function as a full-fledged payment terminal, without additional equipment.

Although there are already devices on the market capable of establishing a connection at a distance of 2 cm, Release 15 formalises such capabilities for the entire ecosystem for the first time, so that gadgets can continue to "speak the same language".

When to expect compatible devices

The NFC Release 15 specification will be made available to Adopter-level participants and the general public in autumn 2025, when the certification program will also be launched. Higher-level participating companies can already download the technical documentation. Manufacturers will need some time to integrate the new standard into their finished products, so the first certified gadgets will appear later.

As a reminder, although most users associate NFC only with payments, this technology has much broader capabilities. It can run automation scenarios and transfer data between devices.

We also wrote that Google is striving to make adding bank cards even more convenient. Soon, it will be possible to add a card to Wallet simply by placing it against a smartphone, and the system will read all the details via NFC.