Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, widely used for tap-to-pay systems like Apple Pay, is about to get a major upgrade with NFC Release 15. This release will boost NFC’s range by four times, expanding the signal distance from just 0.5 cm to 2 cm. 
This change means better, more reliable contactless interactions across a wide range of applications, from wearables and kitchen appliances to wireless charging and digital keys.
According to the NFC Forum, this enhancement will make it easier to connect devices without requiring perfect alignment. Transactions will be faster, simpler, and more dependable. NFC technology has already revolutionized our daily lives by enabling secure, convenient connections. NFC Release 15 promises to expand its use even further, supporting a broader spectrum of use cases and pushing towards a more sustainable future.
Mike McCamon, the Executive Director of NFC Forum, highlighted that this update was part of the organization’s five-year roadmap, aiming to meet the growing demands for quicker and easier transactions across NFC-enabled devices, including smaller devices like smartphones and wearables.
With NFC Release 15, we will also see new possibilities, such as using mobile devices as payment terminals and enhancing NFC functionality across industries like automotive, transit, and access control. NFC is not just for phones; it’s a key part of the connected world.
Interestingly, NFC first appeared in iPhones with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but it was initially limited to Apple Pay. It wasn’t until 2017 with iOS 11 that iPhone 7 and later models were able to read NFC tags. Full NFC tag reading capabilities, without the need for an app, debuted with the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR in 2018.