• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

NFC and the Battery

T

thelastdraco

Well-Known Member
As I anticipate the arrival of my phone on the Verizon network, I've been looking for accessories to cope with my restlessness. So far I covered the protection department (screen protector, case, etc). But now I would like to purchase a new backup battery.

I am not sure what kind of battery to get. As the title says, only special batteries come with NFC? As far as my understanding goes, I would be needing a battery that comes with NFC in order to use this feature. Can someone explain this, I am not really sure how NFC works, I always thought it was built into the phone, not the battery.

Also I am looking for a high capacity battery (>2100 mAh) that allows me to keep the same form factor on the phone. Any suggestions?
 
It's the NFC antenna that resides on the battery, so without an official Samsung replacement battery, no NFC. NFC is used for Google Wallet, reading NFC tags, Android Beam, and S Beam on the SIII. If you are using these features EVERY DAY, yes I'd get a Samsung battery with the NFC antenna. My backup battery will be for 'just in case', so a battery without the NFC antenna is fine for me.
 
thelastdraco said:
Also I am looking for a high capacity battery (>2100 mAh) that allows me to keep the same form factor on the phone. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

The post above mine is exactly why the battery has to be NFC-enabled. They have to place the antenna as close to the edge of the phone as possible, and it's silly to do it in the case - the battery makes perfect sense.

I do have to ask, though, what makes you think that someone has magically managed to make a >2100 mAh battery that's exactly the same size as the 2100 mAh battery in the phone? And if someone had, why do you think Samsung wouldn't have used that?

Every time a phone comes out, someone says, "I want a battery that's the same physical size, but with a larger capacity." Without a new battery technology, lithium ion batteries are about as small as they're going to get. The only way this is ever possible is if a company leaves space under the backing - and with the race for thinner phones, that's not happening these days.
 
Is it likely that 3rd party manufactures can replicate the NFC antenna in the battery? No one thinks any conspiracy here to sell high priced batteries?
 
An NFC antenna is just a loop of wire.

Those $2 NFC tags you can buy? They have an antenna in them.

There's no conspiracy.
 
OK, usually the NFC module on Galaxy mobile shall match with NFC antenna which is on the back of the battery. If you want to use both the backup battery and the NFC functions, it is a wise thing for you to get the NFC antenna for the backup battery. Don't worry, the NFC antenna is on sale online, you can search them via Google.
 
Doit2it said:
It's the NFC antenna that resides on the battery, so without an official Samsung replacement battery, no NFC. NFC is used for Google Wallet, reading NFC tags, Android Beam, and S Beam on the SIII. If you are using these features EVERY DAY, yes I'd get a Samsung battery with the NFC antenna. My backup battery will be for 'just in case', so a battery without the NFC antenna is fine for me.
Click to expand...

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to clarify @Doit2it's answer: If I don't plan on using NFC, I *don't* need to get a spare battery with NFC?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom