While NFC, RFID and RAIN RFID technology may be similar, they each have clear differences. Learn more about what technology is right for your business!

When customers think of paying for their lunch with their phone or smartwatch, it seems like a relatively novel concept. Being able to make a transaction without cash or a credit card changing hands has been one of the greatest conveniences of emerging technology.

But the technology that powers it isn’t really “emerging” — it’s something we’ve used for decades. Radio-frequency ID supports inventory tracking and mobile payments in an instant, and as the Internet of Things continues to grow, there’s more to track than ever before.

While RFID is everywhere, there’s still something of a mystery surrounding it and its related technology, near-field communication. RFID and NFC drive some of life’s conveniences now, but experts say we could be just scratching the surface of what they can do.

What Are RFID, NFC and RAIN RFID, and What Are Their Frequencies?

RFID uses electromagnetic fields to track tags that can be attached to objects, such as service parts or smartphones. If that seems like familiar technology, that’s because it is. RFID Journal reports that the origins of RFID reach all the way back to World War II, when the U.S., Germany, Britain and Japan all used a recently developed detection system called radar to track approaching planes. But while radar gave them miles of warning before aircraft would arrive at the base, they couldn’t use it to distinguish enemy planes from their own.

Source: NFC vs. RFID vs. RAIN RFID: What’s the Difference?- BizTech Magazine