Android

Custom LG Nexus 4 NFC app allows tag reading with the display off

lg nexus 4 - for some reason we don't have an alt tag here

NFC is certainly one of the most useful, yet under-appreciated, features on many smartphones today. It finally seems to be catching on a little, and is included in such flagship smartphones as the Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC One X, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX HD, and Nexus devices from the Nexus S to the Nexus 4. However, one thing that has always made NFC a bit less useful than it could potentially be is the fact that the screen needs to be on for a device to read NFC tags, a problem that is already annoying many LG Nexus 4 users.

This was such an annoyance that it eventually spawned a fix for the Galaxy Nexus, which allowed a NFC process to run in the background and the device to read NFC tags with the display off. Now, a similar tweak has been posted for the LG Nexus 4 on Android 4.2, and it looks to be usable even without root. The tweak is available in the form of a customized NFC .apk file, which must be installed manually in the /system/app directory. After pushing the .apk file to /system/app, the permissions need to be changed with the chmod 644 command, and then the Nexus 4 should be able to read NFC tags with the display off.

While certainly more convenient than turning on the display every time you need to read a tag, users should keep in mind that this could potentially pose a security threat if somehow a malicious NFC tag manages to come in contact with your device. However, the chances of this are quite slim, so once I finally get my Nexus 4, this will likely be one of the first mods that I apply. I can’t wait to set up my NFC stickers in my house and car, and automate much of my Android usage.

[xda-developers]
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Aaron Orquia

Aaron Orquia is an associate editor at Pocketables. He has been using Android and Linux since he bought his first computer years ago, and his interest in technology, software, and tweaking both to work just right has only grown stronger since then. His current gadgets include a OnePlus One, a Pebble smartwatch, and an Acer C720 Chromebook.

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