So far, a discussion about Apple's NFC function spread rapidly, and the audience followed up and ate melons. Today, Xiaobian will share his views on this incident.
What's the use of NFC?
NFC (near-field communication) technology, born in 2003, has developed many functions based on point-to-point (P2P) communication, reader writer and NFC card simulation for many years. It has been widely used in mobile payment, identity authentication, data transmission and other fields. Access card bank card simulation, bus swiping card subway crossing, XX pay convenient payment, "Huawei share one touch transmission" & hellip; & hellip; I believe you will not be unfamiliar. Now, NFC uses many functions mainly through mobile smart devices, especially mobile phones. By 2019, almost all flagship mobile phones support NFC technology, and even the Android thousand yuan mobile phone has started to add NFC module. NFC is becoming more and more popular, and the permission is open. All NFC functions can be realized on Android mobile phones. It's very convenient to brush bus, subway, access control and bank card everyday. To be honest, after I use NFC to brush Yangchengtong, the embarrassment of always dropping the card before no longer exists, and I don't need to go to the subway station to recharge it. In a word, I can't go back after I use it!
IPhone has few NFC permissions. Why?
In contrast, the iPhone, the benchmark of the mobile phone industry, only supports Apple pay and Beijing Shanghai bus card functions. Apple, which has always attached great importance to user experience, equipment profit first, and technology accumulation, lags far behind Android manufacturers in terms of function and experience when NFC technology is mature, which makes people question mark. Apple ecosystem has been adding NFC features for five years since the iPhone 6 in 2014. During this period, 3D touch came and went, face ID came from nothing, but NFC was left in the corner by apple. When Android mobile phone manufacturers are developing NFC functions in full swing, apple is indifferent and only opens a few NFC functions of its products. In this regard, there has been dissatisfaction. Recently, the NFC function of iPhone between Germany and apple has once again ignited the topic. As apple said, will open NFC function lead to information security problems? Or is apple taking advantage of NFC rights in the name of security? It is worth exploring.
Open NFC permission involves privacy and security issues?
As for the security of the open NFC function, not only the iPhone, but also other devices supporting NFC technology are involved. Since it was found that mobile phones can read bank card information through NFC reader and writer function, resulting in the reading of bank card number, ID card number, recent consumption information and balance, consumers' worries about NFC reading personal privacy information and threatening property security are lingering. Indeed, there is the possibility that someone who intends to use irregular mobile payment software and programs to steal bank card information through NFC technology. However, it is a more common and efficient means to directly induce users to steal information; NFC, a very inefficient means, is also easy to be blocked by the system security mechanism. Moreover, the bank's verification is very rigorous, even if there is personal ID card and bank card information, those who do not hold the ID card will not pass the business; the replacement of equipment to bind the bank card and log in to the app also need to reserve a number to verify & hellip; & hellip; to minimize the risk of property loss caused by information leakage. As for the risk of NFC reading function, don't forget that NFC also has the functions of analog bank card, bus card and access card (iPhone only supports the first two). These functions operate normally even when the mobile phone is shut down or without power. There is a risk of information leakage, bank card and bus card stealing and brushing. When the mobile phone is lost, it may also expand the loss. Moreover, the case of "card swiping across the air" exposed at the party on March 15 also confirmed the existence of risk. Fortunately, each mobile phone manufacturer calls NFC simulated bank card, which requires manual operation and biometric verification. And mobile phone manufacturers will also add hardware protection measures to protect the security of stored information and isolate risks. For example, iqoo Pro is equipped with nfc-ese security chip as standard, which can provide users with hardware level encryption storage security. The above is the idea expressed by Android phones at home and abroad that support "full function NFC". Android mobile phone adds NFC reader and NFC card simulation function, which really increases the risk point for users. But through the encryption and protection of software and hardware, combined with the security authentication mechanism of the banking system, the risk is well isolated for users. Put down the risk concerns of the theory, and the convenience brought by NFC function is more beneficial. At the same time, NFC point-to-point communication mode also has great potential to be explored. The "Huawei share touch transmission" function realized with Bluetooth and WiFi technology has shown everyone the convenience and application prospect of this mode.
There are inevitably loopholes and risks in the application of NFC technology, but they are not irreparable and avoidable. The convenience brought by NFC greatly facilitates the user's life, and popularization of NFC will be the future trend. Apple, which has always been leading the trend, is hesitant to apply NFC technology, which makes people suspicious.
To support Apple pay and earn commission is the key
Apple added NFC to its iPhone and Iwatch, and so far only supports its own wireless payment, apple pay. Some small partners will say that some regions can realize the function of public transport card by binding bank card, for example, iPhone and Iwatch can take Guangzhou subway through UnionPay mobile flash app. In fact, this function is realized by flash payment of UnionPay mobile through apple pay, not NFC on iPhone and Iwatch. Like Huawei pay, Samsung pay and other pay, apple pay is a convenient payment technology. It is based on NFC technology and adds software and hardware security protection, with high security level. It does not change the flow of funds, but provides a safe payment technology to banks and UnionPay, and at the same time, it gains income by participating in the sharing of consumer fees. Each transaction completed through applepay will bring apple a commission income of 0.15% of the transaction value. Now Apple does not open NFC rights. No bank or organization can use NFC on iPhone or Iwatch to open its own payment channel, only apple pay. Apple takes Commission in the transaction, and apple pay makes a lot of money, while the huge user group behind it is its dependence. However, apple is not satisfied with taking commissions, and has opened up more channels for Apple pay. On May 14, at the transaction conference in Las Vegas, Apple announced that the iPhone will support new NFC features: no need to download the app, just a NFC sticker to trigger Apple pay payment. It is no doubt that shopping experience is more convenient, but the limited market share of Apple Pay is not enough to popularize this convenience, let alone WeChat and Alipay China. And the behavior of developing NFC label payment can be understood as that apple is strengthening Apple pay's monopoly on NFC rights of its own smart devices.
summary
So far, for the question why Apple doesn't open the NFC function, do you have a recognized answer? NFC technology has made great progress and can bring great convenience when applied. However, to popularize NFC technology, it is necessary to cooperate in many fields to create an application ecology; it is gratifying that a large number of domestic mobile phone manufacturers are in the front. Apple, however, stands firm in the trend of NFC technology development and application popularization. Xiaobian expressed regret for Apple's behavior of picking up sesame seeds and putting them in its pockets and kicking them to rot in the gutter.