Apple Reportedly Adding NFC Technology to iPad, iPhone

Apple plans to include near-field communication (NFC) technology into the next generation of its iPhone and iPad. The move has been anticipated since the company hired Benjamin Vigier, an expert in NFC technology, as mobile commerce product manager last August.

Apple's reported move to include NFC tech in two of its hottest selling products could serve as a catalyst for NFC going mainstream. It's potentially a very savvy move by Apple to leverage its wildly popular iPhone and iPad to gain a larger slice of the lucrative $6.2 trillion Americans spend annually on goods and services, according to Bloomberg.

NFC could also lessen, if not cut out, credit-processing feeds Apple pays on each iTunes purchase. The news likely puts credit card companies and PayPal on alert, although some form of partnership could lead to increased transactions on their end as well, says Stark Insider.