The technology used in smartphones has been rapidly advancing in the past few years, but one of the biggest achievements has been NFC. The technology was first put in phones in 2011 but didn’t gain popularity and widespread usage until the late 2010s.
The quality of life that phones with NFC bring can’t be understated. It has helped in various sectors, from simplifying everyday tasks with contactless payments to smart home automation to fields like public transportation and healthcare.
Did you know that Australia is leading the world with contactless technology, and a huge part of this is because of phones with NFC? If you haven’t already made the swap to an NFC-enabled device, buying second-hand that has been refurbished can be a cost-effective way to make the jump to the convenient technology.
What is NFC?
NFC stands for Near Field Communication, a technology now available in most modern smartphones. If you’ve ever used tap-to-pay on your mobile device through an app like Google Pay or Apple Pay, you’ve used NFC before.
NFC utilises proximity-based wireless communication, but unlike Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it can only interact over extremely short ranges—just a few centimetres. The technology has an interesting history and has even been used in gaming devices like the 3DS and Nintendo Switch.
Now, NFC has caught on mainstream, and the technology has become a staple feature for smartphones and other smart devices, like watches and even rings.
How does it work?
NFC is the evolution of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, which has been around for decades. For example, RFID technology is used in hotels with key card access.
Both NFC and RFID technology work using the same principles through radio waves. An NFC chip in your phone will emit a certain frequency, carrying information to another chip that receives and validates this information.
For the most part, NFC is what allows for contactless payments. The NFC chip in your device can be used for card emulation, allowing for payment, exchanging information with other devices using NFC, and reading NFC tags.
What can NFC be used for?
We’ve already covered the popularity of using NFC on mobile phones for contactless payments, but that isn’t the only aspect the technology is useful for. In Australia, NFC is now also being used for healthcare and public transport.
Various public transport systems in the country, like Translink in Queensland, have added NFC to their bus stops. They’ve set up NFC tags that you can tap to scan with your phone for real-time bus updates.
Similarly, NFC has grown popular for use in the healthcare industry, too. Wearable devices with NFC can be used to transmit information about patients faster and ensure secure data transfer.
How To Find Out if Your Phone Is NFC Compatible
There are a few ways to check if your phone has NFC capabilities. The fastest way is to search online for your phone model's NFC technology, but there are also ways to check if it's enabled on the device itself.
For Android devices, like the Samsung Galaxy and Google’s Pixel range, you can check the settings for NFC. It should be listed in the ‘Connections’ tab of the settings. If your Android device supports NFC, it is usually enabled by default. If NFC isn’t enabled, you can turn it on through your system settings and set it up.
Most Apple devices released in the past few years, including their wearables, come with NFC capabilities since the iPhone 6. If you’re unsure if your Apple device supports NFC, you can check within your phone’s system settings.
What if the device doesn’t support NFC?
Unfortunately, if your phone isn’t NFC compatible, the only option is to upgrade the phone to a model with NFC technology built-in. At OzMobiles, we stock a range of mobile phones with NFC-enabled at an affordable price, like the Samsung Galaxy series.
Which Refurbished Phones Have NFC?
NFC is a technology that is featured in almost every flagship phone, with most major device manufacturers supporting it. If you’re looking at getting a refurbished phone, here are the ones we recommend that support NFC with high accuracy.
Samsung Galaxy
Samsung’s Galaxy line of phones was one of the first Android devices to adopt NFC in 2016. The company has done a great job supporting the technology, with almost all of its phones now including NFC features.
The NFC support from Samsung also branches out beyond their Galaxy S-series flagship devices. Their budget options, like the Galaxy A devices, also have NFC enabled, as well as the Galaxy Z Flip and Fold. The NFC can be used for apps like Google and Samsung Pay.
iPhones
Apple has been supporting NFC on their devices since 2014, starting with the iPhone 6. If you’re looking for a refurbished device that has NFC, any of OzMobiles iPhones past the 6 series models will have NFC enabled and can be used for features like contactless pay.
Google Pixel
If you’re interested in a refurbished Pixel device, Google has been supporting every device with NFC features since the Pixel 2. This also includes the ‘budget’ series Pixel phones, like the 7A and the Pixel Fold.
However, it’s important to note that users have experienced issues in the past with older Pixel devices and NFC. While the problems have been fixed, you will need to keep the device updated with the latest firmware.
Huawei
Huawei has been great at including NFC support in all their device models, including their popular Mate and P series.
Refurbished Phones & NFC
If a phone supports NFC, this is carried through in a refurbished model. The NFC feature support isn’t lost in the process, and we ensure that the NFC technology in the phone is working as optimally as possible.
This is because the OzMobiles team puts every device through a 72-point test as part of the refurbishing process. This includes checking the NFC component and testing the connection. If it isn’t working as intended, we’ll repair or replace it with a genuine, new part.
There are only a few companies that don’t include NFC technology on most of their phones. These major device manufacturers are OPPO, Xiami and Alcatel—this is because their main markets are regions where NFC usage isn’t as prominent.
If you're looking to buy a refurbished phone and are unsure if it supports NFC, the OzMobiles team would be happy to answer any questions. There are also plenty of lists covering phones with NFC.
Buy Refurbished NFC Compatible Phones At OzMobiles
Looking for the cheapest NFC phones? The team here at OzMobiles understands the importance of having access to technology like NFC in everyday life and the convenience it can bring.
OzMobiles stocks a range of refurbished Android devices that include NFC technology, which supports features like contactless payment. The OzMobiles refurbished iPhone range also features various NFC-enabled devices, from the iPhone 6S to the latest 15 Series. We also ensure that you’re getting the best deal, so if you find a phone with NFC that you like somewhere else—we’ll beat the price by $10 (terms and conditions apply).
If you have any questions about our refurbished phones and whether they’re NFC compatible, feel free to reach out and chat with us. The OzMobiles team is happy to discuss any concerns and help you find the right refurbished NFC phone.
