NFC tags are undergoing something of a renaissance and users are increasingly tapping smartphones on tags to access digital information and services. However, reliable data exchange remains one of the major challenges for a positive user experience. Infineon's NFC tags will enable seamless connectivity by providing handset manufacturers with reference tags for interoperability testing with all types of internationally standardised NFC protocols.
The Type 4B Tag is the first product worldwide certified by the NFC Forum that supports the contactless Type B protocol. It will be introduced during the NFC Forum Member Meeting currently being held in Stuttgart, Germany. Infineon has been a principal member of the international industry association since 2005.
So far, NFC tags have been generally limited to use cases where security is not deemed to be critical – such as sharing URLs or exchanging business cards. However, they offer a host of benefits beyond general information sharing, and can also be combined with security critical payment applications.
Their appeal is further increased by native support among a growing number of smartphone operating systems. Users can activate services via NFC connectivity without having to open an app, and thus instantly connect their mobile handset to e.g. smart devices like wearables or access shared services such as street scooters.
According to Infineon, this intuitive connectivity makes everyday digital transactions much easier for consumers, but without compromising on security.
