Air Button Creates NFC Smartphone Shortcuts

A new Kickstarter product is catching some attention in the smartphone space, specifically with NFC-enabled phones.

And in a smartphone-driven world where consumers are turning toward their phones for more aspects of their daily lives, the concept of an add-on button may seem a little strange. But that hasn’t stopped the Dimple NFC button or Pressy from making its way into the market.

Now, Air Button is the latest to join the race to provide smartphone users with quicker access to their apps — all while not interfering with the NFC capabilities (a concern from smartphone creators). The Air Button uses no battery, instead tapping into an NFC connection to allow the user to trigger specific actions.

That means shortcuts to anything like audio alerts, answering a phone, taking a photo or turning on the flashlight. Or perhaps to play music or open top apps without having to swipe into the phone. It’s also driving the concept of smartphones as being the device to connect other devices in part of the Internet of Things phenomenon.

The Air Button sells for $15 for a single button, and $19 for a double button. The app also supports the use of multiple buttons for those looking to get more out of the shortcut experience.

For more on how the Air Button works, check out the brief demo below.