Near field communication, or simply NFC, is a technology that took a long time to reach the iPhone. Despite this, this connection has been heavily leveraged by Apple in recent years to add new features to their phones. However, the lack of prominence on the data sheet leaves many people wondering if their device has NFC support.
With that in mind, Technology Refugee has put together a guide to the technology that helped create Apple Pay on iPhones. Find out below if your device supports field proximity unication, what the term NFC can translate to, and what the standard is already possible.
Since it first appeared on the iPhone 6, NFC technology has been part of every Apple phone announced. So, starting with the iPhone 6, you should already have NFC enabled, but check out the list of all models that have the technology below:
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XR
- iPhone Xs
- iPhone Xs Max
While all of these devices on the list have NFC technology, the iPhone 6 line and iPhone SE have limited use and only work for Apple Pay payments.
What can you do with NFC?
Before explaining where NFC is used on the iPhone, it is necessary to understand what it is used for. NFC is a communication technology in which devices exchange information with only a physical approach between them.
Specifically for smartphones, on Android, for example, NFC is widely used to make payments on services such as Google Pay and Samsung Pay, or even to recharge cards used in means of transport, or single ticket. By using tags, it is also possible to determine some actions such as turning on a device or sharing data from a Wi-Fi connection.
Initially, Apple limited the NFC technology in its phones quite a lot. When launching the iPhone 6, the unification chip could only be used for Apple Pay. That is, the user could make payments with his phone by bringing it close to credit card terminals, for example, but not by transferring files and information.
As of iOS 11, the situation has changed a bit. Owners of iPhone 7 or later gained the ability to pair HomeKit or NFC devices. As for iOS 12, the trend is to expand its range of functions again, for example the ability to use it in the Wallet app.
