“The Absence Tap-and-Pay on CMF Phone: A Missed Opportunity?”

Dhilip_Kumar

I’ve noticed that the CMF Nothing Phone doesn’t support wireless tap-and-pay, which can be quite inconvenient for users like me who prefer not to carry cards or wallets everywhere. With the increasing adoption of contactless payment methods, it’s becoming essential to have this feature readily available on smartphones. For instance, even entry-level phones in the £100-120 range, such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note series or the Samsung Galaxy A series, include tap-and-pay functionality, which makes it surprising that a more premium device like the Nothing Phone CMF lacks this feature.

In today’s world, where digital wallets are becoming the norm, the ability to pay on the go without needing to carry physical cards is a convenience that many expect. Whether it’s for a quick coffee run or for paying for transport, it’s frustrating to have to rely on physical methods when simpler, more affordable phones offer this capability.

I understand that there may be limitations or decisions behind not implementing this, but I’m curious to know if there are any plans to integrate tap-and-pay functionality in future updates or models of the Nothing Phone. It would really enhance the user experience, especially in today’s increasingly cashless society.

Zacksq

Dhilip_Kumar Yeah but some users use a work around by sticking a pay card on the back of the phone. You don’t have to tap in your pin every time you wanna make a payment. The only issue is that you have to make manual top if the pay card is not link to your bank account.

vovan-v

In CMF phone 1 this option for sure won’t be maybe in upcoming CMF phone 2, NFC options works on Nothing phones only right now.

Dhilip_Kumar

vovan-v

You’re right—NFC is not available on the CMF Phone 1, but it’s possible it could make an appearance on the CMF Phone 2 in the future. As of now, NFC is exclusive to Nothing phones, so we’ll have to wait and see if CMF decides to add it in their next model. It’s definitely something that a lot of users are looking forward to, We’ll just have to wait and see…

Zacksq

That’s a clever workaround some users are using by sticking a pay card on the back of their phone! It does save the hassle of entering a PIN every time. The only catch, as you mentioned, is that you’ll need to manually top it up if the card isn’t linked to your bank account. Still, it’s a pretty creative solution until NFC becomes more widely available.

CMF does offer accessories designed to keep your wallet on hand for only the cost of 19£, which could be a handy alternative if you’re looking for a convenient solution. Hopefully, NFC will be included in future models to make things even easier.

B_Gabri_lse

NFC is also a necessity for scanning your id in Europe.

Zacksq

B_Gabri_lse Rest of the world still scan ID bar codes?

Dhilip_Kumar

B_Gabri_lse Yes, NFC is becoming essential for scanning IDs in Europe, especially with the rise of digital IDs and contactless smart cards. It makes identity verification faster, more secure, and more convenient, whether it’s for border control, accessing government services, or making payments. The no-contact feature also helps with durability, making it a reliable technology for modern ID systems.

Zacksq In many parts of the world, yes, barcode scanning is still commonly used for ID verification, especially in regions where digital or NFC-enabled IDs haven’t been fully adopted yet. Barcodes are a more affordable and widely available technology, but they do have limitations in terms of security and speed compared to NFC. As more countries modernize their ID systems, we may see a shift toward more advanced technologies like NFC and biometric scanning, but for now, barcodes remain the standard in a lot of places.

B_Gabri_lse

Exactly! In the Netherlands, scanning the chip in the Dutch ID card via NFC on your phone has made things so much more efficient. It’s incredibly convenient for accessing services like banking, interacting with city halls, or communicating with government departments. The ability to securely authenticate your identity with just a tap on your phone really streamlines the process and eliminates the need for physical documents or lengthy verification steps. It’s a great example of how NFC technology is improving convenience and security in everyday life.

B_Gabri_lse

Zacksq scanning id is done by scanning the chip in the Dutch id card with NFC on the phone . With NFC on your phone,i It is the fastest and easiest way in the Netherlands to communicate with banks, city hall, or any government department.

Coldpaw

It is a missed opportunity for sure and I think it has been criticized both by reviewers and potential customers alike. However it’s nothing Nothing could do anything about now. Maybe they’ll include it with the next CMF Phone.

On the other hand, the issue might not be as huge as it might seem, there are still people out there who don’t care about NFC. I haven’t used NFC on my phones in years, I still rely on old fashioned cash and giro cards. In fact most of the people I know, most of them not tech savvy though, don’t use their phones or smartwatches to pay either. My brother needed a new budget phone just a couple of weeks ago, I gave him some options and he went with the CMF Phone - he also still pays by cash or uses his banking card and didn’t care about the lack of NFC. He got that card holder for the back though, since pretty much all cards are contactless here in Germany, he basically just taps his phone just like he would do with NFC. However especially the younger generation and let’s be honest, they are Nothings target audience, are using NFC for their payments. So not having that options could really be a strong reason not going with the CMF phone at all.

I am an avid user on a German message board for Android users and there have been a couple of users echoing your feelings: No NFC in 2024 = no go, they passed on the CMF and went for the competition. In all cases NFC actually was the only reason why they didn’t buy one.

Dhilip_Kumar

Coldpaw Absolutely right it’s a missed opportunity, and while some people don’t mind the lack of NFC, it’s becoming an essential feature for many, especially younger users.

For a company like Nothing, targeting that demographic, not including NFC could definitely hurt sales. The fact that some potential buyers are passing on the CMF Phone purely because of that shows how important it has become. Hopefully, they’ll address it in the next model to stay competitive.

TeddyGUIOT

It looks like you are in the UK, so you could get a wearable ring with a Fidesmo pay payment, you would need a Curve card to aggregate your Bank debit card.

No need for your NFC from your phone or carrying cards.

https://www.curve.com/en-gb/wearables

Ealesy101

Whilst I admit, this was a sad omission from the CMF Phone 1. I believe it was an intentional one.

With usual placements of NFC and it’s housing, it is locked behind the glass/plastic of a Phone/Watch etc and cannot be accessed or interfered with.

Then, look at the playful and fun design of the Phone. It is designed to be interchangeable, have fun accessories etc.

An NFC chip wouldn’t work with this design. Which also leads me to think that the Card Wallet Accessory was designed too.

Truly depends on the future ethos of the CMF Phone as to whether the modular design remains, and whether this means we will find NFC making an appearance in future.

B_Gabri_lse

Another strong reason to include wireless charging plus NFC in any phone today is that all new cars and especially EV cars have wireless phone chargers. And wireless navigation connection. And a trend in charging apps and city EV chargers is that they offer tap to pay.

With young people using electric fat bikes and all, they can fast charge at some train stations already. No NFC in a phone means you have to pay with cards or keys.. 🤣

Edit

Nothing could upgrade the production line on their watches and bring out a watch special NOTHING FOR CERTAIN edition. With nothing other added to the watch but NFC !!

A win win for the company and all customers.

Succes guarante

ed…

CMF1_hacker

Nah, mate, in the UK and around Europe most people just tap and pay with a card rather than a phone.

Especially on busy public transport like the Tube during rush hour.

I like the cost kept low.

Also, there are custom rear cases out now that facilitate wireless charging and tap to go should you want it.

I wear tight-fitting clothes and this large phone doesn’t fit in any pocket but my card wallet does (especially in the breast pocket of a blazer)