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Mobile payments are about to get a very nice upgrade, and if you're tired of fumbling with your phone at the checkout line, you're going to be happy about it. NFC Release 15 is increasing the tap-to-pay distance.

For years, the minimum distance required for Near Field Communication (NFC) payments has been 0.5cm. That’s how close your phone has to be to the terminal to make a payment. This can sometimes leave you in an awkward dance trying to position your phone just right. But thanks to NFC Release 15, that era of ultra-precision is officially coming to a close. The NFC Forum, a global standards body with major players like Apple, Google, and Sony on its board, has just quadrupled the effective range of NFC connections.

What does that mean for you? Instead of needing to get your device within half a centimeter, you'll now have a much more generous 2cm of wiggle room. For those of us using imperial units, that’s just a smidge more than 3/4 of an inch. That might not sound like a huge leap on paper, but in practice, it should make a big difference. Connections will start sooner, they'll be more reliable, and you won't have to stress about aligning your phone perfectly. This is particularly beneficial for smaller gadgets like smartwatches, where hitting that tiny sweet spot can sometimes be frustrating.

The goal behind this expanded "operating volume" is to speed up transaction times and generally improve the reliability of all NFC-enabled interactions. The NFC Forum also envisions new possibilities, like using your smartphone as a payment terminal itself, or even multi-purpose taps that can handle payments, loyalty rewards, and access control all at once. That would be extremely convenient.

While some newer devices might already offer a slightly wider NFC range, this update ensures a consistent, improved experience across a wider range of NFC-enabled hardware. NFC Release 15 is already available to “high-level” NFC Forum members, including Apple, Google, Sony, and Huawei. However, it’s unclear if existing devices will be able to support the new standard.