ST25 NDEF messaging with Android

[Central SUPPORT]

For data exchange between ST25DVxx with an Android smartphone we would like to use NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format) messages. Will it work?

NOTE: This question and answer originated from a customer support case which was handled by us. We regularly review support cases and add any helpful ones here for all to benefit from.

[Central SUPPORT · Accepted solution]

Yes, no problem if you plan to use ST25DV04 only.

But there is a restriction if memory sizes of 16kbits (i.e. ST25DV16K) or larger are used. In this case the magic number in CC container is set to “E2h�? for two-byte address mode. In fact, Android versions later than version “Oreo�? natively support 2-bytes CC file with magic number “E2h�?, so everything will work fine.

But older Android versions do not know how to interpret this magic number, so it will not work. Unfortunately, there is no workaround available for this particular use case.

Please refer to AN4911 “NDEF management with ST25DVxxx and ST25TVxxx products�? for further information.

[MMack.1881]

I am struggling with this too. I am using an ST25DV64 with an Android 9 or Pie phone (honor 9 lite). I can read and write NDEF messages using the ST25 tap app only. If I write an NDEF message using any other app the operation fails (e.g. NFC tools from the android store). Likewise these apps cannot read the ndef messages on my tag. Also android does not action the ndef messages by display a text record or opening a Uri record, for example. I'd like to try setting the magic number to e1 and accepting the memory restriction but I have made a custom board for evaluating this ic and the i2c bus is not available for the moment.

[Gustavo.Laureano]

Hi @MMack.1881​  and ST

Did you get it working with Android Oreo and the ST25DV65 tag?

I am not being able to read ST25DV16K tags with an Oreo smartphone, even when I copy the whole content from a ST25DV04K tag into it (including the 4 bytes CC), the Oreo smartphone correctly reads the NDEF from the 04K tag, but is not detecting any NDEF on the 16K tag.. even if both tags have the same memory binary content...

and both tags are correctly detected by an Android 10 smartphone, as expected

Thanks

Gustavo