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Samsung Galaxy S2: No NFC for UK confirmed

We noticed while reviewing the Galaxy S2 that the NFC chip promised at Samsung’s big launch in February was conspicuously absent from both the spec sheet and the smartphone settings menu.

It’s now been confirmed that the NFC feautre, available and active in Korean models, won’t come to the UK

NFC technology is already in use in some touch-to-pay Barclaycards, Oyster cards, and can be found the Google Nexus S several other smartphones. Nokia have recently announced an NFC-edition of Angry Birds, where new levels will be unlocked by interactions between the user and other NFC-capable phones.

Phone retailer Clove, who had talked to their Samsung distributors, told Know Your Mobile that, “‘UK stock will NOT feature NFC as standard. Also there will NOT be an NFC chip within the device so there will be no ‘software upgrade’ available in the future to enable this.”

There was a bizarre rumour floating that there was a ‘disabled’ NFC chip inside the phone that Samsung would simply enable in a future software update.

We’re divided over NFC. Half of Team Recombu think its premature, lacking uptake in businesses, and are unwilling to show off their £300-plus phone to would-be thieves. The other half likes the convenience, convergence, and the lack of weighty change.

What do you think? Is no NFC a deal-breaker?

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