Android 2.3.3 Brings Full Read/Write Capabilities for NFC

by Quentyn Kennemer on February 9th, 2011 at 2:04 pm

The folks at the official Android Developers blog have just announced Android 2.3.3 – another incremental update to Gingerbread. This update opens up the NFC chip’s full read/write capabilities for developers and users to take advantage of it for their apps.

Before, developers had to develop work-arounds if they wanted to overwrite a tag with new information, but the latest version of the SDK means they can throw that code away. Here are some of the features:

  • A comprehensive NFC reader/writer API that lets apps read and write to almost any standard NFC tag in use today.
  • Advanced Intent dispatching that gives apps more control over how/when they are launched when an NFC tag comes into range.
  • Some limited support for peer-to-peer connection with other NFC devices.

For developers, the new version can be found in the SDK manager, and users probably shouldn’t expect this update on their Nexus S right away. More information here.

  • C

    Does it bring anything else?

  • Pitrick

    In the meantime…us N1 users are still waiting for the “in the coming weeks” OTA to 2.3 …

    Seems Google took a page of Samsung’s OTA Book….

  • http://robert.aitchison.org Robert Aitchison

    I wonder/fear if this means that the final release of CM7 will be delayed?

  • Jeff

    When the hell is Droid X getting 2.3?

  • dof

    Last link doesn’t work

  • Storm14K aka Phil

    This one gets a pass because there are no phones besides the Nexus S with NFC. But in the future for things that aren’t in an app Google is going to either have to come up with a direct update system that bypasses carrier and OEM mods without affecting them when possible or find a better way for the OEMs and carriers to get updates out. But truth be told theres no real hold up with the carriers and OEM’s they just pull this crap to try and make sure your phone doesn’t have a long life so that you but a new one.

  • PK44

    Who cares nobody has NFC capabilities in the US yet so stop fixing things that nobody can use to begin with and start working on getting gingerbread on my nexus one

  • http://www.entertainmentlondon.ca Jason

    I should hope Nexus S doesn’t get this anytime soon! Us Nexus One users are still waiting for 2.3!

  • Craig

    Oh if only there was some way to add this functionality to my G2 :(

  • aaleigha

    Great so can we now fix the patchy bugginess of the Htc Evo Please? I am sure if they would take care of these things I would love my phone.. Please htc and sprint I can has gingerbread so I can see what all the fuss from happy Evo users was about?

  • Chris93036

    OG droid needs some <3

  • steved

    I am a developer – I have a nexus one – as most devs have. More so, most of us have no interest in the nexus S because it is not better than what they have now, especially when the nvidvia and dual core systems are on there ( and samsungs build quality). So Google, for some strange reason, is right now really really pissing off their dev base by not updating (as promised) the Nexus one devs.

  • Keith

    All good…for the 0.4% of users with Gingerbread.

    I’ve defended Android on fragmentation before. But this is getting ridiculous. Two months for a Gingerbread update on my N1.

    If Google takes that long, just imagine how long the OEMs will take.

  • 2C

    Having both a Nexus One and G2 at the moment it is kind of ridiculous that the Nexus One doesn’t have Gingerbread on it by now. I’m guessing that there has to be some Samsung exclusive Nexus S deal in place…it’s the only logical explanation at this point.

  • Paul

    Stop with the Nexus S hating.
    I bought one specifically for NFC (so I can develop for it).
    Bring it Google – and quick !!

  • Stephen

    Tired of these updates for only the Nexus S… I’m kind of biased since I do not like Samsung (For multiple reasons.) but gingerbread hasn’t even officially been pushed to other phones yet.



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