All smartphones with NFC can read an IDNATAG. The effective reading distance is often 1-2 cm and requires an intentional “tap” or very close proximity.

IDNATAG is compliant with the ISO/IEC 14443-A standard, which governs close-proximity contactless communication.

Why do I have to be close range to IDNATAG for it to work?
The short range is inherent to IDNATAG and is actually a key feature for security and convenience:

IDNATAG’s short range prevents accidental reads or unauthorised skimming. This is crucial for its primary use cases, which involve secure authentication, payments, and sensitive data access.

IDNATAG is a passive chip. It doesn’t have its own battery and must draw all its power from the electromagnetic field generated by the reading device like a smartphone.

IDNATAG‘s 13.56 MHz High-Frequency band is known for secure, short-range data exchange.