As reported by mpaypass.com, at Huawei's Pura 80 series and all-scenario new product launch conference on June 12, 2024, the unveiled Pura 80 series was equipped with the HarmonyOS 5.1 operating system, showcasing innovative breakthroughs in imaging systems, AI experience, and more.
Notably, the NFC functionality on the Huawei Pura 80 series has been upgraded with the new iTAP (intelligent Touchless & Awareless Proximity), supporting screen-off payment with speeds 50% faster than previous-generation products. As a new near-field communication protocol, iTAP was developed primarily by the ITMA (Intelligent Terminal Microelectronics Association) in collaboration with Huawei, Alipay, the China Electronics Standardization Institute, The State Radio monitoring center Testing Center, Fudan Microelectronics Group, and other industry chain partners.
It aims to address the experiential pain points of traditional NFC technology and promote innovation in multi-scenario intelligent interaction through standardization. From a protocol perspective, iTAP newly defines specifications for the physical layer, access layer, transport layer, and application layer. This largely resolves issues inherent in the traditional NFC standard (developed in 2001), such as multi-card conflicts (e.g., failed access control or bus card switching) and slow tapping speeds.
Critically, iTAP enables "intelligent card selection". To achieve this, it resolves card recognition issues by incorporating a new card reader judgment module and opening a card reader information reporting channel. In payment applications, it can also select the most suitable payment method for users based on factors such as payment habits, account balance, and discount activities.
Regarding tapping speed, Huawei demonstrated "Touch Alipay" as a use case, achieving further time reduction compared to earlier implementations. Huawei Pura 80 series phones utilizing the iTAP protocol allow users to click to pay even with the screen off. The phone unlocks and completes the payment seamlessly.
As a major payment industry innovation attracting significant attention in recent years, "Touch Alipay" is based on the NFC "card reader" mode. Here, the user's phone reads information from the merchant's device to complete the payment. Previously, "Touch Alipay" required the screen to be on. Additionally, the newly released Huawei WATCH 5's dial also supports tapping with the screen off, functioning smoothly even in weak or offline network environments.
In December 2024, Yao Qin, Vice President of Terminal Industry Development at Huawei, stated in a speech that the key pain point of the original NFC protocol was its inability to meet consumers' precise needs across multiple scenarios. The new iTAP protocol implements intention-based card selection, achieving true 100% accuracy. Huawei will actively adopt the new iTAP protocol.
Furthermore, the iTAP protocol also addresses poor device compatibility. Its unified protocol standard supports multi-terminal interconnection across devices like phones, watches, and cars. With numerous related products in the Huawei ecosystem, iTAP enables a smoother cross-platform interactive experience. Examples include file and information sharing between multiple devices, as well as smart car key functionality.