Here’s an interesting article on NFC (Near Field Communications) on smartphones. The latest phones can do it, so will it work in Ireland anytime soon? Maybe it already does & a reader can enlighten me.
A few months ago AIB sent out some new VISA debit cards. They’re supposed to work already for NFC by just tapping the card on the till thingy. When the helpful AIB bank employee explained that I’d be hit for a bank transaction charge each time I used it, my interest in using it instead of cash to buy my paper or my sangwidges evaporated. On such small but important details do product launches fail.
Still, it’s be interesting to hear how usable NFC payments are in practice. Have any readers tried to use a NFC-enabled phone to pay for something, anywhere?
Hi, I was just wondering if you managed to gather any relative information about this. I am currently a 4th year business student and I have choose to base my thesis around NFC payments particularly its growth outside Ireland. I spent quite some time in South Africa witnessed first hand a style of NFC payment being used. I am curious as to the development since you posted this article in 2013
Hi Dean, to be honest I’ve not had chance to dig deep into NFC recently. However I’d comment that a couple of things have slowed the growth of NFC here:
– Bank charges. I’m told by my bank that if I use the NFC feature on my debit card I will be charged for it – and when spending €2 on a coffee, that’s a significant increase.
– Ireland being a small economy. Apple, Vodafone & others have launched NFC in other countries, not Ireland. Ireland (unlike SA) seems to be too small to be a priority.
If you’d like to share your findings on NFC via my blog, email me to discuss!