NFC App Clips from Apple just changed the NFC game

Mark Matthews • February 8, 2021

NFC App Clips no longer requires you to download an app for every function you want to use.

Recently, the city of Chicago chose to experiment with "last mile" transportation. They signed a contract with a city bike company and allowed multiple electric scooter companies a "trial period" during the warmer months. It was a controversial move because it allowed riders to essentially leave the scooters on sidewalks after arriving at their destination where other users could use the NFC or QR feature on their phone to unlock them and use them as well. Personally, I thought they sounded fun. And you know what? I was right, they were fun, except for one exceptionally glaring problem. There were five different companies, and each company had its own app and own payment system. So depending on what scooter you chose, you'd have to wait for the app to download, register, and then enter your payment information from scratch, eating up a notable amount of time you thought you'd be saving. 

Fortunately, Apple's NFC App Clips changes all that.

What is an NFC App Clip?

App Clips are small segments of an app that you can access through the web without ever having to download the app. For example, if we return to my scooter example, we can easily see how this solves the problem. Instead of having to download an app for each electric scooter company (and then registering and signing in the app each time), now I can easily "tap" my NFC enabled iPhone and be taken to a part of the app that would allow the user to unlock the scooter and pay for rental in one quick swipe. Additionally, Apple provides for native Apple Pay integration. Since I already have stored my payment info in my phone, I can pay for each companies e-scooter without a single bit of additional information or sign up from me. What's this look like? I walk up to a scooter, tap my phone, swipe to pay with Apple Pay, and off I go.

Additional Use Cases

The sort of streamlining these App Clips provide can be game-changing for many businesses. A quick tap at your favorite restaurant may drop you into their menu or review application without having to download yelp or equivalent. A small vendor at your local craft fair can send you straight to their Etsy store without you ever having to have downloaded or signed into to Etsy.


What's this mean for NFC Jewelry

The Momento Digital Locket is an NFC enabled piece of fine jewelry that stores video, pictures, and text to the actual jewelry itself. For example, a bride could keep her entire wedding album along with a recording of her wedding vows in a wedding band to be listened to or shared with her smartphone. In this case, App Clips would allow her to share with anyone who has an iPhone by enabling them to tap the wedding ring and access the media without downloading and installing the full Momento Application from the App store.

A short video demo

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