Google Pixel 3 does not read NFC Type 4 tag as in the NFC writable example

[Quark]

Dear Nordic,

We have developed a product utilized the NFC readable/writable feature of NRF52832. We have tested it against some of the HTC, Sony, Samsung, and Google phones. It works for most of them, but not all. We found that Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL (probably also the older model) is having trouble to read the NFC Type 4 tag (Type 2 is OK). This issue can be confirmed with the NRF52 DK with the NFC Writable example. Would you please test and confirm the result and update an analysis result? 

Thank you so much for your help, we are about to enter mass production, but we really need to know why some of the phone could not support reading the NFC tag, thank you!

[Quark]

Add some further information to the subject issue.

When a NFC reader is approaching the NRF52DK antenna, it should sense the NFC signal and blinking the LED, but when a Pixel phone approaching NRF52DK antenna, nothing had happened, not even the LED was blinking.

[Simonr]

Hi

Have you tried contacting Google support regarding this issue, as it seems to be a problem with the Google Pixel devices and not the nRF?

Things you can try:

• Make sure that the NFC functionality is on.
• Have you tried with Android Beam both on and off?
• Enable location services.
• Remove any casing around the phone that might be in the way of NFC functionalities.

If you're not able to resolve it please share some more information. What Android version are you using on the Google Pixel phones (and the other, working, models)? Is it just the read function of NFC Type 4 that isn't working or are you having trouble with writing as well?

Best regards,

Simon

[Quark]

Dear Simonr,

I tried contacting Google Support but did not get a clear answer regarding the subject issue. All I got is they claim their product is NFC compatible unless there is hardware malfunction, there is nothing they can do and suggest me to discuss the technical issue with Nordic.

• Make sure that the NFC functionality is on.  (Yes) 
• Have you tried with Android Beam both on and off?   (Yes)
• Enable location services.  (What do you mean 'location services'? GPS? Does this affect NFC?)
• Remove any casing around the phone that might be in the way of NFC functionalities. (The case of Google Pixel 3 is not removable, but I tried to scan NFC signal with the bare NRF52DK antenna in all directions and distances.)

The device I used to perform the test is Google Pixel 3 (Android 9) and NRF52DK. 

If I load the 'Text Record Example' (https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v15.0.0%2Fnfc_type4tag_dox.html&cp=4_0_0_3_30_4) or ‘URI Message Example' (https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v15.0.0%2Fnfc_type4tag_dox.html&cp=4_0_0_3_30_4), there will be no problem to read the NFC tag information from Google Pixel 3.

The problem only occurs when I load the 'Writable NDEF Message Example' (https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v15.0.0%2Fnfc_type4tag_dox.html&cp=4_0_0_3_30_4, which is the feature we used on our product).

The problem is Google Pixel 3 simply cannot sense the NRF52DK NFC tag when loaded with the 'Writable NDEF Message Example', nor the NRF52DK sense a reader signal when Pixel 3 reader approached to the antenna.

As said, both Google Pixel 3 and NRF52DK works fine with Text and URI record examples, so it must not be the hardware problem of NFC circuit or antenna. I was suspecting there might be some NFC signal protocol conflict between them, but we really do not have the equipment and knowledge to debug this issue.

If the truth is there is some compatibility issues with some phones, that is fine, but we need to know what the problem is and address them clearly to our customers.

Your support on resolving this issue is highly appreciated!

[Simonr]

Hi

I just tested it on a Pixel 1 XL (Android version 9), and the Writable NDEF Message example worked like a charm. I will try to get my hands on a Pixel 3 as well, to see if I can recreate this issue. Are you testing using the example itself or do you have your own project that you're testing on? In some apps, the phone needs to enable location services for certain services to work, so it was just a shot in the dark really. By casing, I meant if you had any external casing around the phone, but this shouldn't be the cause of the issue either.

Do you have more than one Pixel 3 available, so we can make sure it isn't just one defect phone? I'm trying to narrow down the issue further, so if you have any more details, please share. This does seem though, to be a problem with the Pixel 3 phones, as there are other posts with various NFC issues out there. https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/3148141?hl=en and https://forums.androidcentral.com/google-pixel-3-pixel-3-xl/925255-nfc.html.

You could, of course, try what these posts suggest. Running NFC in safe mode, clear your cache, uninstall some apps from your phone, and even factory reset it.

Best regards,

Simon

[Quark]

Hi,

Many thanks for the update. I have my own project/product working on but I can confirm the issue on exactly the example on the NRF52DK without any modification. I will try turn on/off the LBS to see if it makes any different. I did not install any external case. I had tried this on Pixel 3 XL and got the same result. I am running the test on a brand new Pixel 3. Hope the above information is helpful.

Best regards,

Quark