Enhanced NFC experiences of new iOS 13 platform

The newly supported commands include the full standard command set as well as the extended set specified in ISO/IEC 15693, together with the support of custom commands, to permit interaction with embedded electronics through dynamic tags that can store changeable information such as fitness-tracking data.

The move enables powerful and innovative contactless possibilities extending well beyond payments and ticketing to include smart retail, cycle or scooter hire, smart parking, healthcare, coupons, loyalty schemes, easy device pairing, gaming, and many more, including industrial and automotive use cases.

ST has a rich portfolio of chips for use in mobile devices, payment terminals and automotive, and NFC tags, including the ST25T series for type-5- tags in widespread use today and the ST25DV series for type-5 long-range (ISO/IEC 15693) dynamic tags. In addition to standardised capabilities, ST’s tags provide enhanced features such as custom instructions and TruST25 digital signature for additional protection. 

Developers can leverage a comprehensive ecosystem that includes the ST25 SDK software development kit, ST25DV-DISCOVERY evaluation kit, X-NUCLEO-NFC04A1 STM32 Nucleo Expansion board, ST25 (Mobile) NFC tap application, and soon-to-be-updated ST25 NFC tap iOS application for development on iOS 13 devices.

Benoit Rodrigues, Memory Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics, said: “The mobile world has so far only scratched the surface of the convenience and efficiency NFC can bring to many daily interactions. With support for the full range of NFC tag functionalities about to arrive on iOS devices, many new and imaginative apps can and will emerge. 

“With our strong portfolio of NFC tag ICs and a full suite of tools to support development of tags and unleash the full capabilities of the new Core NFC Framework, we’re positioned to have a central role in changing the way people interact with the world through their mobiles.”

As a long-time advocate of type-5 ISO/IEC 15693 dynamic tags and a board member of the NFC Forum and ISO standards organisations developing contactless specifications, ST has expertise across the full range of NFC technologies and applications and had already contributed to development programs for the launch of iOS 13. 

Moreover, to help developers begin creating new apps for iOS 13 devices quickly, ST has made source code available for the ST25 NFC tap application and published a guide with tips and tricks for unleashing the potential of NFC on iOS 13.