Nine Out Of 10 Of The World’s Best Selling Smartphones Are NFC-enabled

NFC Forum Handset, Tag and Reader Certifications Surge; 2019 Was Record Year

Most of the top ten smartphones in the world last year by sales are NFC-enabled according to a recent study.  This uptick in NFC functionality in smartphones seems to be tracking to some degree an increase in NFC Forum certifications as well.  There has already been almost 30 NFC Forum certifications through the first two months of 2020.

Why the surge in NFC in general and NFC Forum certifications in particular?

It’s about risk mitigation and the customer experience.  NFC Forum Certification for an NFC-enabled product is a market differentiator.  It demonstrates that a company cares about having a product that is interoperable in the NFC ecosystem ensuring a consistent customer experience.  Without testing and certifying a company can never be completely sure that an NFC-enabled product will respond in a consistent manner within a product.

2019 Record Year For Certifications; 2020 Off To Record Start

Last year 50 products were NFC Forum-certified.  So far 26 products were certified in the first two months of 2020.  At this rate, 2020 will realize a possible 150 certifications.  This rapid increase in certifications show that tag/inlay manufacturers, reader and handset manufacturers understand that interoperability and a consistent end-user experience is moving beyond being simply a customer want but is now a customer requirement.

See Certification Program Overview

NFC Forum Certification is appropriate for tag/inlay, reader, consumer electronics and handset manufacturers.  Certification offers five valuable benefits:

• Market Recognition
• Product Differentiation
• Quality Assurance
• Brand Protection
• Improved Customer Experience

For over a decade the NFC Forum has provided specifications and certification programs to create a stable framework for NFC application development, interoperable solutions and secure NFC-enabled transactions.  This effort has resulted in billions of people using NFC every day to make their lives more convenient. It also sparked the explosion we’ve seen in the creation and release of thousands of new NFC-enabled products and services worldwide.

See Certification Program Overview

Get Your Product Certified; Here’s How

The certification process is valuable, simple to do and inexpensive.  NFC Forum certification should be a component of all product development and product rollout processes.

JOIN: Become a member of the NFC Forum to enjoy membership benefits and start the Certification process.

PREPARE: Familiarize yourself with the NFC Forum Certification Policy and Devices Requirements.

TEST: Determine which Authorized Test Lab meets your product(s) testing needs and schedule your testing.

REPORT: Once testing is complete, pay certification fees and agree to the NFC Forum Terms and Conditions during checkout.

APPLY: Assemble the package of all required certification documents, create an account, and submit your documentation online to the NFC Forum.

PROMOTE: Once certified, it’s recommended that you add the Certification Mark to your site, product, packaging and collateral. The mark may be used upon acceptance of the NFC Forum Certification Mark License Agreement and a one-time fee per registered organization. Also, be sure to share your product certification news with your customers.

Find Complete List of NFC Forum Authorized Test Labs

Get Started; Leave No Product Behind

For a worry-free introduction of your tag or product to the NFC ecosystem, start your certification process today. Need more details? Read the Certification Program FAQs or contact the NFC Forum Certification Administrator at cert-admin@nfc-forum.org.