Compatibility of NFC tags and labels with mobile phones and tablets

Branded NFC labels and key fobs

You have surely noticed that there are branded NFC labels on the market, for example from Sony or Samsung, which serve as triggers for all kinds of tasks. From the names of their manufacturers, it might seem that these NFC labels are compatible only with the devices of the given manufacturer. That is not the case. Samsung TecTiles labels, as well as Sony XPeria SmartTags key fobs and others, must meet the NFC standard, and therefore they work with any NFC device (e.g. Nokia, LG).

So how do branded and unbranded NFC labels differ?

Only in their nice appearance and high price. The command stored on them you can in fact store yourself entirely, into any other NFC label (tag, key fob) that has sufficient capacity (and a definitely lower price).

How to make your own label?

First of all, choose one of the NFC labels with a print suitable for your intended use. You will find a large number of various NFC labels here: http://www.nfcmix.com/cs/4-nfc-stitky. You can similarly use any NFC tags and other NFC products from our offering.

An illustrative video will show you how to do it:

If the idea of making your own smart NFC labels caught your attention, we recommend reading this instructional article.

Definition of NFC technology

Near Field Communication is a communication technology in which data transfer can occur between two devices, and only over a short distance of at most a few centimetres. NFC works on the principle of electromagnetic induction, with the frequency of the radiation firmly set at 13.56 MHz. It is precisely this value that is very fundamental to defining the concept of NFC, because it is the only permitted frequency at which data transfer using NFC can take place. This and other conditions are defined by the NFC standard ISO 18092, which, among other things, guarantees that all devices labelled NFC will be fully compatible with all other NFC devices. To put it simply - if your mobile phone or tablet has a built-in NFC function, it will work for you with all NFC tags and labels of the most varied shapes, sizes and brands.

The only exception in our e-shop NFCmix.com is the Mifare 1K series of tags, which do not meet ISO 18092, so they are not NFC standardized. Although most mobile devices can recognize Mifare 1K, it is not necessarily a requirement, so we recommend checking compatibility with your device before purchasing these tags. In the past it was the most widely used contactless chip, but nowadays its use is gradually being abandoned and, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S4 no longer supports Mifare 1k.