NFC implant works very strangely with my new phone

gowner · October 25, 2024, 9:29pm

Hi everyone, let me first say, I am not very knowledgeable about NFC technology at all. A couple years ago, I bought an implant from I Am Robot and have been happy with it. I use it only with my Android phone and have had no issues.

Now, I have switched to an iPhone. The same tag (obviously) works very weirdly with it. At the moment, all that’s on the tag is a rick roll link. Android (13 on a Pixel 4a) can read the tag perfectly well every time and also write to it using NXP TagWriter or NFC Tools or similar.

On my iPhone, the tag is SOMETIMES recognized. Sometimes, 3-4 times in a row, it will read it perfectly fine. But most of the time, it doesn’t work. No reaction at all to the tag being present. I am aware the NFC reader is at the top of the phone, so that’s not the issue. When I use NXP TagInfo or NFC Tools on the iPhone, the tag is never recognized. It seems to me completely random whether the tag is recognized or not.

I used TagInfo to generate a full scan report of the tag. Maybe that can help you help me:

** TagInfo Scan (version 5.0.0) 25-Oct-24 22:47:46 **
Report Type: – IC INFO ------------------------------

IC Manufacturer:

Unknown Manufacturer

IC Type:

Unknown MIFARE Classic IC, possibly cloned

NFC Forum NDEF-enabled tag:

Unknown Type Tag

Applications:

Multi-application card
Card publisher sector: 1

NFC applications
- NXP Semiconductors

– NDEF ------------------------------

NFC data set information:

NDEF message containing 1 record
Current message size: 25 bytes
Maximum message size: 716 bytes
NFC data set access: Read & Write

Record #1: URI record:

Type Name Format: NFC Forum well-known type
Short Record
type: “U”
protocol field: https://
URI field: youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ
Payload length: 21 bytes
Payload data:

[00] 04 79 6F 75 74 75 2E 62 65 2F 64 51 77 34 77 39 |.youtu.be/dQw4w9|

[10] 57 67 58 63 51 |WgXcQ |

NDEF message:

[00] D1 01 15 55 04 79 6F 75 74 75 2E 62 65 2F 64 51 |…U.youtu.be/dQ|

[10] 77 34 77 39 57 67 58 63 51 |w4w9WgXcQ |

NDEF sector analysis:

Sectors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

General Purpose Byte: 0x40
Mapping version 1.0
NDEF access: Read & Write

– EXTRA ------------------------------

Memory Information:

1 kB

16 sectors, with 4 blocks per sector
64 blocks, with 16 bytes per block

Application Directory:

CRC sector 0: OK
Application classes:

DIR NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF
NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF NDEF

Block 0 analysis:

UID: 3A:1B:29:6B

NXP Semiconductors
Check Byte: 0x63
SAK: 0x08 (ERROR)
ATQA: 0x0400
Manufacturer data:
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 |bcdefghi|

TagInfo Version:

Version :5.0.0

Device Info:

Device Model :Google ( Pixel 4a )
Android OS Version :13

– FULL SCAN ------------------------------

Technologies Supported:

ISO/IEC 14443-3 (Type A) compatible

Android Technology Information:

Tag description:

TAG: Tech [android.nfc.tech.NfcA, android.nfc.tech.MifareClassic, android.nfc.tech.Ndef]
Maximum transceive length: 253 bytes
Default maximum transceive time-out: 618 ms

Detailed Protocol Information:

ID: 3A:1B:29:6B
ATQA: 0x0400
SAK: 0x08

Memory Content:

Sector 1 (0x01)
[04] rwi 03 19 D1 01 15 55 04 79 6F 75 74 75 2E 62 65 2F |…U.youtu.be/|
[05] rwi 64 51 77 34 77 39 57 67 58 63 51 FE 00 00 00 00 |dQw4w9WgXcQ…|
[06] rwi 5F 58 4A 41 2A 68 59 2E 72 2D 6F 46 5D 4D 34 37 |_XJA*hY.r-oF]M47|
[07] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 2 (0x02)
[08] rwi 6F 62 28 73 67 6F 5E 56 30 6D 71 FE 00 00 00 00 |ob(sgo^V0mq…|
[09] rwi 54 02 65 6E 41 64 72 65 73 73 65 3A 20 48 61 75 |T.enAdresse: Hau|
[0A] rwi 70 74 73 74 72 61 C3 9F 65 20 39 61 2C 20 36 36 |ptstra…e 9a, 66|
[0B] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 3 (0x03)
[0C] rwi 34 38 32 20 5A 77 65 69 62 72 C3 BC 63 6B 65 6E |482 Zweibr…cken|
[0D] rwi 2C 20 47 65 72 6D 61 6E 79 11 01 53 54 02 65 6E |, Germany…ST.en|
[0E] rwi 41 6C 6C 65 72 67 69 65 6E 2C 20 4D 65 64 69 6B |Allergien, Medik|
[0F] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 4 (0x04)
[10] rwi 61 6D 65 6E 74 2C 20 73 6F 6E 73 74 2E 3A 20 4D |ament, sonst.: M|
[11] rwi 65 64 69 6B 69 6E 65 74 20 28 4D 65 74 68 79 6C |edikinet (Methyl|
[12] rwi 70 68 65 6E 69 64 61 74 20 68 79 64 72 6F 63 68 |phenidat hydroch|
[13] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 5 (0x05)
[14] rwi 6C 6F 72 69 64 29 20 66 C3 BC 72 20 41 44 48 53 |lorid) f…r ADHS|
[15] rwi 11 01 12 54 02 65 6E 4F 72 67 61 6E 73 70 65 6E |…T.enOrganspen|
[16] rwi 64 65 3A 20 4A 61 51 01 30 54 02 65 6E 4E 6F 74 |de: JaQ.0T.enNot|
[17] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 6 (0x06)
[18] rwi 66 61 6C 6C 6B 6F 6E 74 61 6B 74 3A 20 4C 79 64 |fallkontakt: Lyd|
[19] rwi 69 61 20 4B 6C 61 72 20 28 2B 34 39 20 31 37 36 |ia Klar (+49 176|
[1A] rwi 20 33 30 31 33 34 39 33 33 29 FE 00 00 00 00 00 | 30134933)…|
[1B] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 7 (0x07)
[1C] rwi 34 39 33 33 29 FE 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |4933)…|
[1D] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[1E] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[1F] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 8 (0x08)
[20] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[21] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[22] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[23] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 9 (0x09)
[24] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[25] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[26] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[27] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 10 (0x0A)
[28] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[29] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[2A] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[2B] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 11 (0x0B)
[2C] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[2D] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[2E] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[2F] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 12 (0x0C)
[30] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[31] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[32] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[33] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 13 (0x0D)
[34] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[35] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[36] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[37] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 14 (0x0E)
[38] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[39] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[3A] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[3B] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

Sector 15 (0x0F)
[3C] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[3D] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[3E] rwi 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |…|
[3F] WXW D3:F7:D3:F7:D3:F7 7F:07:88 40 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Public NDEF key (unknown key)

r/R=read, w/W=write, i/I=increment,
d=decr/transfer/restore, x=r+w, X=R+W
data block: r/w/i/d:key A|B, R/W/I:key B only,
I/i implies d, *=value block
trailer (order: key A, AC, key B): r/w:key A,
W:key B, R:key A|B, (r)=readable key
AC: W implies R+r, R implies r

Unfortunately none of the above means anything to me, except that one line where it mentions an ERROR.

Is there any way for me to fix this tag up so that I can use it with my new phone as well? Preferably using an Android phone to do the fixing, since I don’t have any dedicated devices to read / write NFC tags.

This is the implant I have: https://chip-implants.com/shop/nfc-implant-x3-elite/

Thank you all for any help!

Pilgrimsmaster · October 25, 2024, 10:06pm

Just FYI
if you are not already doing ot this way, the best way to read a glass implant is by placing the antenna and implant perpendicular to each other forming a +

Yeah, That’ll be the problem.
It’s an iPhone “issue”

Without going too deep into it, Mifare chips are not NFC compliant. That doesnt mean it doesn’t work, just not for all phones.
iPhones being in that category.

If you want a reliable rick roll, A better implant for that would be an NTAG type implant which are NFC compliant and NDEF capable (Eg. your RickRoll link)

Thats the equivalent of the old DangerousThings xM1.
Which has been replaced by the xMagic in 2 different versions.

Fir you though, I would reccomend an
xNT
NExT
FlexNT

There are others, but any of those would do what your x3 Elite did, but will work on iPhones also.

If you are up for it, I would highly recommend the FlexNT, perfect for RickRolls and Business Cards

Alternatively
The NExT is the same as the xNT but it also has a Low Frequency chip in it.

Any more questions, Fire away

Pilgrimsmaster · October 25, 2024, 10:13pm

Also, this implant still has a use, obviously you can still interact with Androids easily.
But the Mifare Classic chip it has in it, is compatiable with MANY locks that have been around for many years.
Hotels and household locks, cheap “project” locks and access control systems.

Do you have a Flipper or ProxMark?

gowner · October 25, 2024, 10:13pm

Thank you so much! Can you explain why the iPhone sometimes does pick up the implant but sometimes not? If it’s not compatible at all, shouldn’t it never work?

gowner · October 25, 2024, 10:14pm

I have no other devices, no. Just my old pixel 4a which I’m planning to keep around. I got this implant specifically because it says I can clone access keys to it. I don’t have an application for this right now but I thought it would be cool for the future if I start working somewhere with NFC access control.

Pilgrimsmaster · October 25, 2024, 10:25pm

My GUESS would be its just struggling to read it due to coupling.

Im not sure what iPhone duty cycles look like, but if it is presented during a low power read, maybe its just getting enough info but not ALL, this is just a guess though.

Yeah, agreed, weird, but I think its just that coupling issue.

What I do know is iPhones dont always play nice.
Neaning its an iPhone issue, not Chip issue, and theres nothing you can do with the chip to make it work better EXCEPT maybe try a Hamspiced repeater sticker

let me dig out a thread that I can think of that might explain it more

Pilgrimsmaster · October 25, 2024, 10:28pm

I have one on my android.
they are really awesome.

iPhone antenna placement is more awkward, but for $10, worth a try…

gowner · October 25, 2024, 10:36pm

Thank you man I really appreciate it. I’m leaning towards getting one of the implants you recommended since a DT recommended piercer has appeared relatively close to me recently. Do you know if it’s generally possible to have an implant replaced? I know the body kind of grows a capsule of scar tissue or something like that around the implant but can an experienced person remove my implant and replace it with a new one? If not, I’ll just get it done on my other hand.

And additionally, you mentioned that the chips you sent are good for my rickrolling adventures but I do want to do as much with the implant as I can. I’ve been eyeing a payment capable implant as well. Do you know of any implants that combine normal NFC stuff like NDEF with payment capabilities? How about one that does all 3, low frequency, NFC and payments? Assuming price isn’t an issue for a moment hahah

Pilgrimsmaster · October 25, 2024, 10:51pm

I would reccoment this anyway.

You mentioned

Keep it for just that reason.

But to answer your question

We (forum community) can help you with placement Ideas.
I imagine you have your current one im what we call P0?

Payment is a tricky bitch and a large discussion.
Short answer is No.

The “Best” and most capable implant at the moment is the ApexFlex

Your use case is still a bit vague, If you know exactly what you want, we can give you some reccomendations, but without that we can just give you best guess.

here’s what I would suggest to somebody that wants eveything but doesnt know what they want.

NExT alternatively (FlexNT and FlexEM)
xMagic (probably gen2)
ApexFlex
FlexNT

for Blinky:
xSIID

Magnet:
TiTAN

gowner · October 25, 2024, 11:04pm

My current one is in P0, yes. I had no idea there were other places it could go on the same hand.

I’ll be more specific. What I would like is one with a “lot” of storage space for NDEF, so i can save multiple records. I would like to save medical emergency info on it, organ donor information, a shareable contact card, maybe some encrypted important passwords, stuff like that. If I ever feel like buying crypto for some reason, I would want to put my crypto wallet on it. So, lots of space would be cool. I would love to try writing a video game whose binary fits onto it

I would also like to use it for access control for my own place, so no need for clonability there. If I do want to clone access control, I do have the old implant, like you said. I don’t think I need a 125khz chip for that, right? So a single chip implant is fine.

Payment is not my priority, so let’s ignore that for the recommendations.

It should be compatible with both Android and iOS / iPhone. In terms of placement, I would prefer a place where it doesn’t protrude from the skin much. Blinky seems like a cool party trick, so if there is a blinky one that also fulfills most of the above, I would love that. If not, that’s okay, too.

Apart from that, I don’t really know what other types of implants there are that are as safe as these NFC chips. The magnet seems cool but not really something I’m interested in. I’m enthusiastic about biohacking but, as you can tell, horribly uninformed about it

Again, really appreciate you taking the time to help me out, I did not expect that at all!

Pilgrimsmaster · November 17, 2024, 5:47pm

This is a great reference to veiw the capability of specific chips

https://siliconbased.us/

To answer some of your questions…23 days later

APEX / FlexSecure is your perfect for this BUT!!!..

This isn’t as simple as it seems, let me bullet point it.

Somebody would need to know to look
They would unlikely trust the info to make a medical decision
It would need to be the top record to read it, otherwise they would just get rick rolled etc.

Apex can do this also.

Although my personal reccomendation for this is the FlexNT

Hmmmm, I’m going to say APEX again, we can get into the how to and other options such as KeePass if/ when you go down this path

Cold storage is easy for most NDEF capable implants, but also APEX “There’s an App for that”

it would be a tiny game, but APEX / FlexSecure is your best bet

This will depend on the lock, but this is also one place where the APEX falls down, as in my personal experience, I haven’t found many/ any compatiable locks.
FYI if you own the lock, then you only really need to be able to enrol rather than clone.

One that would do both is the FlexM1 ( or xSeries like the xMagic )
My preference is the gen2, but most / more people choose the gen1a

It depends!!
Also this old addage applies “it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it”

Fitted for but not with… The APEX would future proof you, it’s ready to go but BIG FINANCE are not

Almost all, but the ones that dont play with iOS, still do MOSTLY.

APEX no problem

For a Glassie, P0 is the usual go to
For a flex
P1 - P4 are the “usual”

Not yet, The APEX Spectrum WOULD have been your best bet there, but the LEDs proved problematic, im sure a new solution is being worked on.

If you change your mind, or want more info

@Az_F wrote this

That’s what we are here for.

Sorry it took me so long to reply