It’s 2024 and we’re all pretty blessed to have such a rich smartphone scene thriving before our very eyes. We’ve been able to see features like multiple cameras become standard, regardless of the price range that you’re playing at.
However, I personally think that there are certain features that should be in every single phone that’s released in 2024, regardless of how cheap it is. Today, my focus is on NFC, because there’s really no reason for a phone not to have NFC in this day and age.
Even If You Don’t Use NFC, You Can’t Deny The Value Of The Convenience That It Brings
We live in an incredibly digital age. It was already convenient enough that you could leave your house with nothing but a slim piece of plastic called a credit card and manage to shop and travel around the city without any trouble. Cash isn’t as necessary as it used to be. However, these days, you don’t even need to take your credit card with you. Your phone can do its job, and with even more ease, arguably.
The most important use case for NFC in your phone is being able to make contactless payments, but that’s far from the only trick that it’s got up its sleeve. I remember back in the day, using NFC to quickly connect to another Android device to transfer files. You can also use it to connect to wireless devices like a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.
However, you can also use NFC to get access to public transportation, as a ticket to events and concerts, and for unlocking doors or cars. It’s hard to disagree, even if you don’t use the feature in your day-to-day life, that NFC is pretty important in our current digital age.
It’s Shocking How Many Phones Released In 2024 Without NFC
Now, this is where I start to rant. Considering the usefulness and convenience that a smartphone with NFC brings to so many lives (to the point where tapping-to-pay has become second nature), it’s hard to make excuses for manufacturers who make the confusing decision not to include NFC support in the smartphones that they make.
This year, I can count at least four smartphones that were released (albeit in the budget range) without NFC included. It was particularly surprising for the CMF Phone 1, likely the most notable of the bunch, to come with the NFC box unticked. However, with some digging, I found out this was hardly the first phone to be released this year in that boat. The Moto G Play (2024) and the Realme Narzo 70 Pro also don’t have NFC.
Just so that you can fully understand the extent of such a move, excluding NFC from the CMF Phone 1 was enough to put a massive question mark on what was otherwise an easy decision to make when it comes to budget phones. Most people, especially in North America and Europe, now need to strongly consider whether they can live without the convenience of NFC in their daily lives.
Look, at the end of the day, I know it is all about cutting costs, but you’re hardly cutting anything. I beg, let’s not bring an NFC-omitting mindset into 2025.
