What is NFC in Honor and Huawei smartphones: full review of the module

Increasingly, NFC (Near Field Communication) chips are being used in smartphones and tablets, which can replace a bank card, travel card, and even passes to various enterprises. This technology also allows you to easily and quickly read and exchange information with other devices.

A popular company in the mobile device market is Huawei, which also uses NFC technology in many of its smartphones and tablets.

Many people do not understand what NFC is in a Huawei phone, and also why it is necessary. For example, if your Huawei phone has NFC, then by installing the necessary applications, you can use the phone like a credit card.

Huawei models that have NFC

The Huawei P10, P10 plus, P10 lite, P9 lite, P9 plus, Honor 6x, honor 8, honor 8 pro and Huawei nova models use NFC technology. Let's take a closer look at the most popular Huawei flagships with NFC.

Brief review of Huawei P9 Lite

Huawei P9 Lite is a mini-flagship of the P9 model. Externally, it is similar to Huawei P9, but a little smaller and lighter. The P9 Lite costs significantly less than the P9.

The smartphone itself is a rectangular candy bar that does not have any rounding. On the front of the phone there is an 8 MP camera, several sensors and a speech speaker. At the back there is a 13 MP backlit camera, as well as a fingerprint scanner. The bottom end of the P9 Lite is equipped with a speaker, microphone and a charging connector, and on top there is an audio connector. On the right side are the volume and power buttons.

The screen diagonal is 5.2 inches, the format is Full HD, so the image is very clear and colorful. The screen backlight adapts automatically to any environment.

The smartphone can use two nano-SIM cards that work alternately, and instead of the second SIM card, you can use a microSD memory card up to 128 GB. The model has an eight-core processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The battery is non-removable, its capacity is 3000 mAh.

In general, the phone has sensors: light, proximity, accelerometer, compass. Also, Huawei P9 Lite, as noted earlier, is equipped with NFC, unlike the P9.

Today the phone is available in three colors: black, white and gold. Huawei P9 Lite

Brief review of Huawei Honor 8

A popular model with NFC is Huawei Honor 8, which has an innovative design. The smartphone is a rectangular body with rounded corners.

At the back in the center there is a fingerprint sensor and two cameras with a resolution of 12 megapixels. There is also an 8 MP front camera on the front. At the bottom there is a speaker, connectors for headphones and a USB cable, and at the top there is an infrared sensor.

The screen has Full HD resolution and the diagonal is 5.2 inches. The colors are quite clear and bright. Brightness adjustment can be either automatic or manual.

The smartphone is equipped with an eight-core Kirin 950 processor, which allows the device to work quickly. RAM is 4 GB, and internal memory can be either 32 GB or 64 GB.

Huawei Honor 8 has two nano SIM cards that work simultaneously. The battery capacity is 3000 mAh. Charging is fast, which is a huge advantage.

Today in Russia, Honor 8 is sold in four colors: black, white, gold and blue.

Brief review of Huawei P10 plus

One of the latest models from Huawei is the P10 plus. This model is equipped with many different functions, sensors, including NFC.

The smartphone is thin, its thickness is 7 mm, the screen diagonal is 5.5 inches, the screen resolution is 2560 x 1440. On the front panel of the smartphone there is a control button, which is also a fingerprint scanner, and a front camera with a resolution of 8 MP. At the back there are two cameras with 20 MP and 12 MP, there is also a backlight and flash.

Huawei Honor 8C review: technical specifications

• Model: BKK-L21
• OS: Android 8.1.0 (Oreo) EMUI 8.2.0 shell
• Processor: 8-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 (SDM632), 4-core Kryo 250 Gold (1.8 GHz) 4-core Kryo 250 Silver (1.8 GHz), Hexagon 546 co-processor
• Graphics subsystem: Adreno 506
• RAM: 3 GB, LPDDR4X
• Storage memory: 32 GB, separate slot for microSD/HC/XC memory cards (up to 256 GB)
• Screen: capacitive, TFT matrix, 6.26-inch diagonal, FullView, HD resolution (1520x720 pixels, 19:9), pixel density per inch 269 ppi, protective glass with 2.5D effect
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2, USB 2.0 (USB OTG, charge/sync), 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Rear photo module: main camera - 13 MP, wide-angle lens, phase detection autofocus, f/1.8 aperture, secondary camera - 2 MP, f/2.4 aperture, LED flash, video [email protected] fps
• Front camera – 8 MP, wide-angle lens, f/2.0 aperture
• Network: 2G, 3G (HSPA, up to 42 Mbit/s), 4G (LTE Cat 4, up to 150 Mbit/s), LTE-FDD: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20
• SIM card configuration: nanoSIM (4FF format) nanoSIM (4FF format)
• SIM card operating mode: Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS)
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS, A-GPS
• Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, compass, fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, lithium polymer, 4,000 mAh
• Colors: black, blue, gold
• Dimensions: 158.72x75.94x7.98 mm
• Weight: 167 g

Comparison table of Huawei smartphones with NFC

The table shows all Huawei smartphone models, and also indicates which devices have NFC and which do not. This table will easily help you choose a smartphone with NFC technology.

Huawei pay in Russia

In 2021, Huawei launched its own payment system, Huawei Pay, in China, which allows you to link bank cards. Using NFC and this application, you can use your smartphone to pay.

This system is not yet available in Russia, but the Chinese company is doing everything possible to launch this system in our country.

Cash is gradually becoming a thing of history; it has been replaced by contactless payments; all you need to do is have a mobile device in your pocket. To make a successful purchase in almost any store, you just need to bring your smartphone to the cash register terminal. Please note that not all modern devices support this technology. In this article we will look at the features of Huawei phones with an NFC module.

How to properly set up NFC on Honor and Huawei phones

This process contains more steps than inclusion, but it is just as simple. Sometimes the setting may be different. How to set up NFS on Honor 10 lite. NFC setup on Honor and Huawei phones includes:

1. Registering a Google account. Most likely it already exists. Without it, you won’t be able to download anything from the market, and the phone prompts you to register the first time you turn it on. If your smartphone is new, then you need to go to the Play Store, swipe the left edge to the right and click on the account icon. Here you need to come up with your username and password.

2. Download the Google pay app. It is possible that it does not need to be installed; it is often installed by default.

3. Connect the card. In the application, open the “payment” section. At the bottom there will be a button “add payment method”. Here, enter the details of the bank card (for example, Sberbank) with which you will make purchases in stores. You can also simply point the camera and eliminate the need to enter information manually. After this, the card will be linked to your account.

4. Pay for purchases. In the store, you don’t even have to go through authentication if the purchase amount is small. To make a payment, you simply need to bring the back cover of the device to the terminal screen where plastic cards are applied.

The instructions on how to set up NFS on Honor 8x, Huawei light and other models of the company are similar.

Important! It is not necessary to try to place the gadget closely. Honor with NFC module are equipped with an antenna. It will help to pick up a signal from a distance of 3-5 centimeters, which is greater than the thickness of the palm or a pair of fingers that hold the mobile phone. Any terminal that supports Paypass will accept payments.

What is NFC and how does it work

The abbreviation NFC literally stands for wireless communication. This technology allows you to transmit and receive information over a short distance. It appeared on the domestic market relatively recently and has gained high popularity in the production of mobile phones. The microchip of the same name is installed in the body of almost all modern smartphones.

This technology is promising and has a wide range of applications. Using NFC modules, you can make purchases in stores, pay for travel on public transport, open doors and control smart systems. But we are interested in the most common area - the financial sector.

Data exchange is carried out over the air; it is enough to bring the mobile device to the reading terminal equipped with an NFS module. Currently, almost every store is equipped with compatible equipment throughout Russia, with the exception of remote settlements. The microchip imitates the signal of a bank card that was added to the Huawei Pay or Android Pay application. In addition to smartphones, it is built into payment rings, bracelets and even key fobs. Let's look at the features of contactless payment using NFC:

1. Hold your mobile device close to the reader for a few seconds.
2. The success of the procedure will be confirmed by a sound signal.
3. Be sure to pick up your payment receipt.

What are the advantages of promising technology in the financial sector:

1. Significant savings in time resources. The information exchange operation takes only a few seconds.
2. Ease of use. It is enough to have a Huawei phone with an NFC chip inside in your pocket.
3. Safety. The transaction procedure takes place at a minimum distance, up to several centimeters. This significantly reduces the risk of interception of personal details by attackers. Any transaction worth more than 1000 rubles requires additional confirmation by entering a security password. Bank card data is encrypted using modern security protocols in the Huawei Pay application.

Unfortunately, at the moment, not all mobile devices have a module in their design for transmitting information over a distance. Don’t worry, you can purchase a more modern model from the manufacturer at any time.

If finances do not allow, then external NFS tags, antennas and SIM cards are sold. The consumer, using special mobile applications, can independently program the microchip for a specific function.

NFC function: what is it and why is it needed

Near Field Communication (NFC)

, translated into Russian means near-field communication. This is a technology for transmitting wireless communications at close range within 5 - 10 centimeters. In smartphones, this technology is implemented by a special chip with an antenna. The NFC chip is a compact flat chip that is installed in a mobile device.

Advantages:

• provides data exchange with other devices;
• small sizes;
• minimal energy consumption;
• low price;
• connection setup time is less than 1 second.

Due to its compact size and low power consumption, the NFC module is actively used in small gadgets such as mobile phones. The module antenna is usually installed on the battery compartment cover or the inside of the rear surface of the device if the battery is removable.

With Near Field Communication you can:

• make contactless payments for purchases;
• read tags;
• transfer files between two devices.

This technology is most widespread in contactless payment, since the speed is too low for file transfer. NFC in an Honor phone will save its owner from constantly carrying bank cards with him. All payment transactions can be carried out via smartphone. To do this, you will need to link the card to the device.

How to find out if your phone supports NFC

The consumer can check at any time whether the mobile device supports the new technology and the presence of a transmitting module. To do this, choose one of the methods:

1. Carefully inspect the smartphone; many models display the corresponding logo on the back panel.
2. Remove the back cover of the device; there should be an NFS sticker inside. But almost all modern models are produced in a one-piece case with a built-in battery. In this case, you will not be able to look inside.
3. Start your cell phone and go to the system settings section. Select the wireless tab. If there is an NFC module, you will see the corresponding item to activate it.

4. In addition, on the desktop, swipe down from top to bottom. After this, a quick access menu will be displayed, which should have an indicator of the microchip status.

5. Look at the box and technical documentation of the smartphone; it indicates the characteristics of the mobile device. If documents are lost, look for information on the Internet.

6. In addition to the methods described, you can use a special mobile application to check the presence of a chip. It is easy to find in any software store.

Checking whether there is NFC using the application

One of the easiest and fastest ways to check the presence of an NFC module on your Android device. You need to download a program from the official Google Play app store that will tell you for sure about the presence of a module in your phone.

Download QR Code

NFC Check

Developer: Joeri Kros

Price: Free

The video clearly shows how the NFC Check application works to check the NFC module.

https://youtu.be/NNhIXoqt3P0

Which Huawei models support the function?

This technology appeared relatively recently, so a microchip for contactless transactions began to be installed only on the latest mobile devices. Unfortunately, outdated phones are not equipped with an NFS module.

Currently, all new models are produced with an installed chip and their list is constantly updated. NFC is available on the following gadgets:

• Huawei P10, including Lite, Plus versions;
• Huawei P9 Lite and Plus;
• Honor models starting from 6X, Honor 8 Lite, Honor 9, 10 Lite;
• Honor 8 Lite, Pro;
• Huawei Nova, Prime series.

Similar models began to be produced around 2021; all phones released earlier are not supported by the new technology. For example, Honor 7A does not have NFC enabled.

How to enable NFC on Huawei phones

If you find out that your smartphone is equipped with an NFC microchip, then on some mobile devices you need to independently switch it to the active state. To do this, follow the instructions:

1. Go to the system settings section.

2. Find the wireless networks tab and click the "More" button.

3. Here you will see the corresponding item. Set the checkbox to active.

4. Ready. In the same way, you can activate the function in the quick access menu.

Attention! Please note that the layout of menu items may differ on different smartphone models.

Comparison table of Huawei phones with NFC

To make it easier for you to make the right choice when purchasing, we have compiled a table that contains the technical characteristics of all mobile devices that support NFS technology:

All of the listed models are equipped with a module for contactless information transfer. The cost of each model depends on the supplier and the store you choose.

The article examined the features of the operation of modern gadgets from Huawei with an NFS transmitter. With the help of such smartphones, you can make contactless purchases in almost any store in Russia and abroad. It is enough to link a bank card to your mobile device. The NFS module has greatly simplified the lives of cell phone owners.

We have compiled a list of the best gadgets equipped with the NFC module necessary in 2018.

First, let us remind you what NFC is and why a modern gadget and user need it. This module has many functions, we talked about each of them in detail here. The main task of NFC is contactless payments using a smartphone. It is this function that allows you to use Android/Samsung/Apple Pay and pay at checkouts by bringing the gadget to the terminal.

Of course, lately it’s difficult to surprise with the presence of an NFC module, but many excellent budget devices lack it, for example, Meizu M6 Note and Xiaomi Mi A1. This was probably done to save money.

We indicate the price of the most affordable smartphone from each company at the beginning of 2021 according to Yandex.Market. Article and list updated May 2021.

What is NFC in a smartphone?

You probably already noticed that at the end of 2021, the AndroidPay program began to actively promote itself online. With its help, you can make contactless payments using your smartphone. It's cool? Absolutely yes. But for some reason, when advertising AndroidPay, no one mentions that for the system to work, your smartphone must have an NFC module installed.

The answer is quite simple. The chip itself is not yet very widespread and NFC has only just begun to appear on budget-class smartphones. The convenience of contactless payments makes people pay attention to the presence of NFC in their smartphones during the purchase. In general, today there are five main parameters that a person pays attention to when choosing a new smartphone:

Alcatel Pop S7 7045Y specifications:

• Materials: plastic glass;
• Display: 5″, IPS matrix, 540x960;
• Processor: MediaTek MT6582, quad-core, whose cores operate at frequencies up to 1.3 GHz;
• Graphics chip: ARM Mali-T400 MP2 with a frequency of 500 MHz;
• RAM: 1 GB LPDDR3;
• Memory: 4 GB eMMC;
• Main camera: 5 MP;
• Front camera: 0.3 MP;
• Battery: 3000 mAh;
• Fingerprint's scanner: -
• Android: 4.4.2 KitKat;
• Antutu: 20,000 points;
• Price: 5000 rubles

The smartphone made it into this top list only because of its extremely low price. You should buy the Alcatel Pop S7 7045Y only if you simply can’t wait to pay using your smartphone, since it’s simply not suitable for everything else: a weak 5-inch screen not even with HD resolution (960x540), terrible performance (old MediaTek 1 GB of RAM), small amount of internal memory (only 4 GB), outdated version of Android, cameras on the Alcatel Pop S7 7045Y are installed for show. The smartphone has only three advantages: good battery life (3,000 mAh), low price and the presence of NFC.

Huawei Nova technical specifications:

• Materials: metal glass;
• Display: 5″, IPS matrix, 1080x1920;
• Processor: Snapdragon 625, eight-core, whose cores operate at frequencies up to 2.0 GHz;
• Graphics chip: Adreno 506 with a frequency of 600 MHz;
• RAM: 3 GB LPDDR3;
• Memory: 32 GB eMMC;
• Main camera: 12 MP;
• Front camera: 8 MP;
• Battery: 3200 mAh;
• Fingerprint's scanner:
• Android: 7.1.1 Nougat;
• Antutu: 65,000 points;
• Price: 12,000 rubles

Huawei Nova is a compact and still relevant smartphone that Huawei released at the end of 2021. Despite the fact that Huawei has already released several updates to this series, it is the first Huawei Nova that is an icon. What's the secret? The answer is simple: the presence of NFC, an energy-efficient mid-range processor from Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with a frequency of 2 GHz, a high-quality Full HD IPS display, 3 GB of RAM in the company with 32 GB of internal memory.

I'm glad that Huawei Nova has a new generation USB Type-C connector. It’s also worth noting the smartphone’s very good camera. The pictures taken with the main camera can easily be called an example for other smartphones in this price category. If you need a compact, inexpensive, attractive smartphone, you can safely look towards the Huawei Nova and not worry about it being outdated.

Wileyfox Swift 2X specifications:

• Materials: metal glass;
• Display: 5.2″, IPS matrix, 1080x1920;
• Processor: Snapdragon 430, eight-core, whose cores operate at frequencies up to 2.0 GHz;
• Graphics chip: Adreno 505 with a frequency of 450 MHz;
• RAM: 3 GB LPDDR3;
• Memory: 32 GB eMMC;
• Main camera: 16 MP;
• Front camera: 8 MP;
• Battery: 3010 mAh;
• Fingerprint's scanner:
• Android: 7.1.1 Nougat;
• Antutu: 45,000 points;
• Price: 10,000 rubles

It’s a little surprising to see Wileyfox products on this list, but at the very beginning of 2021 they released a really interesting smartphone. How can Wileyfox Swift 2X surprise you? A smartphone has a number of advantages. Firstly, Wileyfox Swift 2X is a smartphone with a premium presentation. It will come to you in a black and orange designer box with various accessories inside.

Secondly, Wileyfox Swift 2X looks original and interesting. Yes, its appearance cannot be called attractive, but the smartphone clearly stands out from other devices. Thirdly, the characteristics of the Wileyfox Swift 2X compare well with the price of the smartphone. For 10,000 rubles you get a device with a 16 MP camera, a Snapdragon processor, 32 GB of internal memory and an IPS display with FullHD resolution.

Xiaomi

The Chinese company does not stop either in terms of increasing production and market share, or in terms of mastering and using the latest technologies. At the same time, Xiaomi often leaves really high-quality and interesting budget gadgets without NFC, which upsets many users. It would seem like a big, loud and successful experiment with Google - the Mi A1 smartphone on Android One - but there is no NFC. Where is he? Only in flagship models from 25,000 rubles:

Even one of the most popular and best-selling Redmi Note series does not have a module for contactless payments. Xiaomi has room to grow.

How to disable NFC in Honor and Huawei

You can disable NFC on your phone in the same way as enable it:

• Through the phone settings.
• In the notification panel.

In the first case, you need to do: “Settings” → “Device connection” → “NFC” . The function is deactivated after moving the slider to the left.

In the second case, everything is much simpler. To disable this method, you will need to open the notification panel and click on the “NFC” icon.

When to do it

Despite the fact that NFC is a continuation of RFID technology, in terms of the security of contactless payments, it wins significantly.

This is due to the fact that the technology works over a point-to-point network , that is, only two devices are connected, a third cannot connect to them.

The enabled function practically does not waste battery power, so only the owner of the smartphone should decide when to disable NFC and whether it is worth doing it.

Huawei/Honor

Huawei also had a good 2017 with successful smartphones and reports of huge sales. The sub-brand called Honor, which produces affordable devices, is also encouraging. The price of a gadget with NFC starts at 14,500 rubles.

• Huawei P10 (review), P10 Plus and P10 Lite (review).
• Mate 10 and 10 Pro.
• P8 Lite.
• Honor 9.
• Honor 8 Pro (review).
• Huawei P20, P20 Pro and P20 Lite.
• Honor 7C (review).
• Honor View 10 (review).
• Honor 10 (review).
• Huawei P20 Lite, P20 and P20 Pro.
• All Huawei Mate 20 series.
• Honor 8X.
• Huawei P Smart (2019).

This year, LG tried to compete with its flagships and not get lost in the mid-range segment. The company did not ignore the fashion for frameless displays and NFC. Here is a list of smartphones with the required module:

• LG Q6 (from 17,000 rubles) and Q6+.
• LG X Venture.
• LG G6 and G6+.
• LG V30 and V30+.
• LG G7 ThinQ.

The Japanese company is on its own wave. While everyone was releasing cool smartphones with widescreen screens and thin frames, Sony continued to use outdated technologies. It is encouraging that in 2018 the Japanese promise to present a frameless gadget with a new design.

The price of Sony smartphones with NFC starts at 17,000 rubles. These are two series - XA and XZ:

• Xperia XA1 Dual, XA1 Plus and XA1 Ultra.
• Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact and XZ1 Dual.
• Xperia XA2 Dual, XA2 Plus, XA2 Ultra.
• Xperia L2 (from our list of the worst smartphones)

Nokia

The revival of the Nokia brand at the hands of HMD Global is one of the main events of 2021. Both budget and flagship gadgets with their advantages and disadvantages were presented. But there is nothing to criticize the new Nokia for in one component - even cheap smartphones starting from 8,500 rubles have NFC.

• Nokia 3.
• Nokia 5.
• Nokia 6.
• Nokia 8
• Nokia 8 Sirocco.
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Nokia 3.1.
• Nokia 5.1
• Nokia 6.1.
• Nokia 7.1.

The Taiwanese company also cannot find itself, and in 2021, HTC’s mobile division was purchased by Google. However, several interesting devices were released, including those with NFC (from 34,000 rubles):

• HTC 10 Lifestyle.
• HTC Desire 530
• HTC U Ultra.
• HTC U11 and U11 Plus.
• HTC U11 EYES.
• HTC U Ultra.
• HTC U12 Plus.

ASUS does not release new products as often as Chinese companies, so only the flagship ZenFone 4 line is equipped with NFC:

• ZenFone 4.
• ZenFone 4 Pro.
• ZenFone 4 AR.
• ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5 Lite.
• ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M1).
• ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M2).
• ASUS Zenfone 5Z.