Samsung launches its own NFC ‘smart tags’ called TecTiles

Samsung has just launched its own official near-field communication (NFC) TecTile ‘smart tags' for the Galaxy S3.

We've seen the NFC smart tag concept before at Mobile World Congress with both LG and Sony demonstrating that NFC chips can be used to program phone functions with a swipe, but now Samsung is getting in on the act with TecTiles.

The tags are being launched primarily as an accessory for the NFC-enabled Galaxy S3 flagship, but Samsung does have other NFC capable devices including some variants of the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy Nexus, which the company's press release says are compatible.

It's probably a safe bet that plenty of future handsets from Samsung will also use NFC technology and fully support the TecTile tags.

Dale Sohn, president of Samsung's US division, said: ‘With millions of NFC-enabled Samsung Galaxy smartphones currently in the market and the arrival of our flagship device Galaxy S3, Samsung saw an opportunity to expand the value of NFC beyond mobile payments.'

'The launch of Samsung TecTiles is another example of Samsung's ability to innovate new products and applications that improve the way we use our mobile devices for everyday tasks,' he added.

Alongside the tags Samsung has released an official app, which is free to download from the Google Play store and allows you to program and customise your TecTiles with specific phone functions. The TecTiles are re-programmable as well so you can change your settings whenever you like.

Samsung has outlined some of the things you can program TecTiles to do when you swipe your phone over them:

Settings & Applications

• Change phone settings (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ringer/media volume, screen brightness, etc.)
• Launch an application
• Join a Wi-Fi Network
• Show a message

 Communication

• Make a call
• Send a text message
• Start a Google Talk conversation
• Share a contact or business card

Location & Web

• Show an address on a map
• Open a web page
• Foursquare or Facebook check-in

 Social

• Automatic Facebook 'Like'
• Update Facebook status
• Post a tweet or follow a contact on Twitter
• Connect on LinkedIn

Samsung's launch statement also indicates TecTiles can be used for ‘silencing the phone when entering a meeting, setting an alarm, and dimming the display when going to bed.'

The new TecTiles are now being made available in the US from Samsung's online webstore and at retail outlets for $14.99 for a pack of five, they're in a sticker format but no doubt you can also use them without peeling the back off. We expect these will also be landing in the UK very soon.