Is NFC Finally Becoming Mobile's Next Big Thing?

NFC has been a decade in the making, and has always been about to be The Next Big Thing. It is a contactless radio technology that can transmit data between two devices within a few centimeters of each other. Coupled with a security chip to encrypt data, it promises to transform a wide range of consumer experiences from simple ticketing to the Holy Grail of replacing your cash and payment cards with just your smartphone. The key word there is "promise". But is NFC a solution in search of a problem? Bar codes, either regular ones or the QR variants, already let you scan posters to unlock extra information; Bluetooth lets you share data wirelessly between devices; cards like Transport for London's Oyster card already allow you to travel ticketless.