Android Open NFC gets a bit more open

Inside Secure is about to launch a more abstracted NFC API, one compatible with Android versions 2.3 and (notably) 2.4, allowing developers to start showing what's possible with NFC. The new implementation of the Open NFC (Near Field Communications) API will be available for download from the end of the month, with Inside …

[David 116]

What's the advantages...

Would love to know more about the advantages of NFC over, for example, QR codes. I get the whole being used for payments side of NFC however I don't see the advantage over something such as QR codes. Especially seeing how QR codes just require you to have a phone with a camera and internet connection where as the NFC requires your phone to have the NFC reading hardware built into it. Other than pointing you to a website - what would the NFC be able to do differently than a QR code?

[JaitcH]

Potential alternative uses

When these things start 'flying' there are, potentially, a myriad number of uses for them such as security or checking out library books, rental car out-of-hours releases, door openers, etc.

Really interesting possibilities are lurking out there.

[Lau]

The advantages

David,

Can you do P2P operations with QR codes?

Can a QR perform Read and Write?

NFC is not only about payment... actually bodys such as the NFC Forum do not even consider card emulation as a mandatory feature of NFC.

Laurence

[Simon Rockman]

Standards are great, let's have lots of them

A third-party API for NFC is a rubbish idea. There are several NFC APIs for Android, how is a developer to know which one to build apps for. What it needs is a Google mandated API.

Google's "survival of the fittest" policy is fine for apps but not for core services.

Simon