NFC or near-field communication is by no means a new form of wireless radio communication standard technology, but it wasn’t until only recently that new life was breathed into it. NFC did not get the traction its propagators expected from near field communication tech back in 2012-2015, and as is to be expected, most of them lost interest in it.
Why Did NFC Not Take Off in 2013?
Although experts have suggested various reasons for that initial failure, the recent success of NFC printers has highlighted the greatest flaw in previous integration of the technology. Large enterprises that were all in to make NFC the next big thing became consumed with turning NFC into a cashless, wireless, plastic-free payment system.
There were other ways to utilize this highly potent wireless, communication technology as well, but they simply did not pursue those avenues strongly enough back then. Nonetheless, the recent success of next-gen, multifunction commercial printers with built-in NFC tech is once again shining the spotlight back on NFC. This leads us to the most obvious question; exactly what is so special about NFC printers? We will try to answer the question by pointing out certain key advantages which latest NFC printers present to both office users and to visitors/customers in a commercial setting.
The Advantage of Simplicity and Speed
At its core, successful integration of technology is always accompanied by relevant new features, boosted performance, boosted speed and ease of application. Modern, multifunction NFC printers like the HP LaserJet M880z+ NFC check those boxes quite convincingly. The built-in near field communication technology can turn printing into a seamless, immediate and surprisingly simplified process.
For example, we can start printing any document that we may need to by simply tapping the printer’s NFC sensor with our NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet. It may require a dedicated app to previously be installed on the smart device, and you will have to keep the document(s) selected before tapping. However, no complicated setup process is necessary for printing with NFC, and it keeps the need for taps, clicks, etc., to a bare minimum.
NFC or Wi-Fi: Which Printer is the Better Option?
A few years ago, this would have been a topic all on its own, since even back in 2017, the competition between Wi-Fi and NFC printers was heating up. In 2021, however, this is a moot comparison altogether. Multifunctional office and commercial printers already come with Wi-Fi by default these days, and NFC is fast becoming a standard feature for commercial printers as well. Therefore, you do not even need to compare Wi-Fi printers with NFC printers, or make a choice between the two. Your next printer will have Wi-Fi anyway, so just make sure that it also has NFC.
Nevertheless, if we were to compare the two wireless printing techs in terms of speed and ease of access, NFC is better on both counts. NFC is significantly faster than Wi-Fi printing, and it is easier to set up. NFC printing boosts business productivity naturally, as near field communication is the faster form of wireless printing tech of the two.
