NFC (Near Field Communication), known as short-range wireless technology, is a set of communication protocols that enable simple, secure two-way interaction between electronic devices. In 2004, Nokia, Philips, and SONY established the Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum, which defined five types of tags that provide different communication speeds and capabilities in terms of configurability, memory, security, data retention, and write continuity.
NFC Forum Tag Type 1:
The NFC tag Type1 is based on the ISO/IEC 14443A standard. NFC tag Type1 is the simplest chip of all five types, and also the slowest chip for data transfer. However, due to simplicity, it is also possible to fill more memory on the Type1 chip. A typical tag Type1 IC is Innovision Topaz 512, and NFC tag Type1 applications are usually one-time provisioning or read-only applications, etc.
NFC Forum Tag Type 2:
NFC Type Type2 tags are based on the ISO14443A standard. NFC tag Type Type2 tag is a more cost-effective option because it provides enough features at the right price to meet market demand. NFC Type 2 tags are read and overwrite capable and users can configure tags to become read-only. Typical labeled NFC Type 2 ics are the Enzienttag series and the MIFARE Ultralight series. NFC tag Type 2 applications are usually low value transactions or RFID tickets, etc.
NFC Forum Tag Type 3:
The NFC Type 3 tag is based on the SONY FeliCa system, produced in Japan, and is mainly widely used in Asia. It’s a sophisticated label that offers a wide range of features, but also comes with a higher price tag. A typical label Type 3 IC is Sony’s FeliCa S series, and applications for the label Type 3 are usually transit tickets, e-money, e-ID, etc.
NFC Forum Tag Type 4:
NFC Type 4 labels are defined to be compatible with ISO14443A, and the B standard also provides support for ISO/IEC 7816 security. These NFC ics are pre-configured at the time of manufacture, they can read/rewrite or read only, and also allow self-modification of NDEF content. A typical labeled Type 4 IC is the NXP Desfire series, and NFC labeled Type 4 applications are usually payment and security.
NFC Forum Tag Type 5:
The latest NFC Type 5 specification, published in 2015, is based on RFID technology defined by the ISO/IEC 15693 specification. The ISO/IEC 15693 specification was originally developed to enable long RF operating ranges of up to 1.5 meters. The NFC Forum has chosen to support an active communication mode that allows data transfer performance similar to RFID technology supported by the NFC Forum, but limits the read distance of NFC devices. Typical NFC labeled Type 5 ics are the NXP ICode series and ST Microelectronics’ ST25TV series. Applications for NFC tag Type 5 are typically library books, packaging, and ticketing.
