Near field communication (NFC) enables the rapid exchange of information between smartphones and other smart devices. Applications for NFC on Android phones include file sharing, contactless payment systems, and programmable NFC tags.

With programs like Nearby Share (an AirDrop competitor introduced by Google), it's possible to share photos, videos, web pages, contact information, and other types of data with others nearby. For example, share a photo after it's been taken or exchange contact information at a networking event without having to search for a pen. Nearby Share replaced Android Beam, which has been deprecated.

With a contactless payment system, customers swipe their smartphones instead of taking out their credit cards at the register. With NFC enabled, you can save your credit card details to Google Pay or Samsung Pay and swipe your smartphone at checkout. Credit card companies have gotten into the game with Mastercard PayPass and Visa payWave.

NFC tags are small, powerless NFC chips that can be programmed to do specific things when swiped. For example, you can program these devices to perform simple actions like enabling wireless tethering, launching apps based on your location, dimming your phone screen when you go to bed, turning off notifications, or setting alarms and timers. You can also set up more complex processes, like booting up your PC.