What is the benefit? Why is this valuable?

​​Major mobile platform providers, Apple and Google, are opening the host mode for NFC. Android has had this already for a while, Apple is planning to do it soon. We have to ensure that Qt NFC supports this as well

What are common use cases?​

​The major use case is a payment terminal implemented in an app running on a smartphone. This would replace electronic payments via a dedicated POS device. There are some merchandisers already using such apps on Android.​

Moreover, there are plans to enable pair-to-pair payments for end users. This might require host card mode as well. There are apparently a pressure from the EU for this https://www.heise.de/news/Nach-Druck-der-EU-Apple-will-angeblich-iPhone-NFC-fuer-Konkurrenz-oeffnen-9572544.html. Update from Jan-2024: There is a press release from the EU commission referring to a commitment to open up interfaces for Host Control Emulation  https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_282 "Apple would create the necessary APIs to allow equivalent access to the NFC components in the so-called Host Card Emulation (‘HCE') mode, a technology issued to securely store payment credentials and complete transactions using NFC, without relying on an in-device secure element." 

Technical Details

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​There is not information about iOS API for this at the time of writing. Some references for Android:

https://community.developer.visa.com/t5/Use-Cases/Android-NFC/td-p/7626

https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/nfc/hce