Back in 2020, we wrote about Waveshare’s Batteryless NFC e-paper display, which can work without a battery and draws power and data from an NFC-enabled smartphone or the company’s ST25R3911B NFC board. Waveshare has now released a V2 version of this display with a new and improved NFC chip, a “fast flashing method”, and enhanced contrast.
The new batteryless, 7.5-inch NFC-powered e-paper display features an 800×480 resolution and updates via an NFC-enabled smartphone or reader. It offers a 170° viewing angle and comes in a durable ABS plastic shell. The ST25R3911B NFC board allows updates via USB, SD card, or serial port, with an optional password lock. However, precise NFC positioning is required for updates. These features make it ideal for shelf labels, equipment tags, and other applications.
Waveshare 7.5-inch NFC e-paper display V2 specifications:
- 7.5-inch e-paper display
- 800×480 resolution
- Display color black and white
- 170° viewing angle
- Refresh Time – 5s + data transfer time (that’s the same as the original version, so it’s unclear that the “fast flashing method” is/means)
- No backlight; retains the last image without power
- Wireless Connectivity – Image transmission via NFC-enabled smartphones or NFC card readers
- Misc – ABS plastic shell for durability
- Power Supply – Wireless over NFC
- Dimensions
- Outline – 195.84 × 137.68 × 13.00 mm
- Display area – 163.2 × 97.92 mm
- Environmental
- Operating temperature – 0°C to 50°C
- Storage temperature – ≤30°C, humidity ≤55% RH (max 6 months)
- Transport temperature – -25°C to 70°C (max 10 days)
In terms of software, the company mentions that this display has its own dedicated Android (NFTag) and iOS (NFC E-Tag) applications through which users can upload and manage images wirelessly via NFC.
The Android app allows users to transfer images from NFC-enabled smartphones running Android 4.0 or later, though it is incompatible with Samsung and Google phones due to NFC limitations. The iOS application provides similar functionality for Apple devices. Users can customize displayed content with built-in image effects, including grayscale, block patterns, sketches, and more. Users also have the option to upload images via NFC with the help of the Waveshares ST25R3911B NFC board via SD card or UART, adding flexibility for industrial and retail applications.
The company also provides a wiki page for the display module where you can find detailed manuals, an Android SDK, and troubleshooting guidance, along with other documentation that covers setup, app usage, refresh methods, and FAQs for optimal operation.
Previously, we have written about the Waveshare ESL color e-paper display, which is designed for Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) applications. We have also written about other e-paper displays like the Inky Frame 7.3-inch, which is a Pico 2 W-based ePaper display designed for low-power applications such as home automation dashboards, sensor data visualization, and static image displays. Then there is also the Inkplate 6 MOTION, an ESP32-based 6-inch e-paper display with a partial refresh rate of 11fps, which reduces obvious latency in rendering dynamic content such as videos, animations, and scrolling text.
Waveshare sells the batteryless NFC-powered e-paper display V2 on Aliexpress for $68, Amazon (no price, out of stock for now), and its own store for $74.99 plus shipping.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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