We’ve been waiting for the NFC chips we’ve had in credit cards for a few years to make it into phones so we can use them for payments; that’s starting to happen with Google Wallet, Apple Passbook, Microsoft Wallet and initiatives from banks, carriers and companies like Square. This is the year that tapping to pay with your phone will really happen (probably). In the meantime, businesses like Starbucks have introduced payment apps using QR codes that you display on the phone screen and scan to pay. What’s better about NFC? You’ll have a single wallet rather than multiple apps and you won’t have to position your phone precisely in front of the scanner; NFC stands for near-field communication and near is anything up to a couple of inches. Paying through the car window at a drive-through will be quite a bit easier. But NFC can do a lot more too.
Tap to pay at Starbucks; easier aiming at the drive-through
