Ah yes, we all know and love Bluetooth. It has helped us cut the cord with our electronic devices and has come along way since it’s creation in 1997. It has been implemented into everything from cars to headphones and has become a staple in wireless communication between devices. However, there’s a new alternative that has gained some steam over the past couple of years. It’s call NFC (Near Field Communication) technology and while it’s similar to Bluetooth, there are some major difference that could have you jumping through hoops.
First and foremost, they are both forms of wireless communication between devices over short distances. NFC is limited to a distance of approximately four centimeters while Bluetooth can reach over thirty feet. While it may seem that Bluetooth is superior in this regard, both Bluetooth and NFC technology have their advantages and disadvantages compared to one another and can work together to meet users’ needs. NFC can prove useful with it’s shorter range for the reason that there will be almost no chance of interference with 3rd party devices. Additionally, NFC will automatically connect to your devices whereas with Bluetooth you have to manually connect the device which can take up to several minutes. Power consumption is another difference seeing as Bluetooth takes more energy to keep your device connected.
However, they can team up as a dynamic duo and automate and speed up the pairing process while still maintaining the effective range of Bluetooth technology. An example of this is the Parrot Zik headphones which have both technologies built in. In the next few years, expect these technologies to be more prominent and your life much more wireless.