For several years, we have been hearing rumors that the iPhone will include support for NFC and that Apple will introduce a payment solution too. While previous rumors had come from less reputable sources, this time, it looks like Apple is getting serious about taking control of the payment industry.
Wired is reporting that, according to their own sources, Apple is preparing to introduce NFC with the iPhone 6 and that they will also be announcing their own payment solution too. The feature is said to be the spotlight of the new device when it is announced on September 9th, which should be a packed event as the iWatch is said to be announced then too.
It makes a lot of sense for Apple to move into the payment sector as they have over 800 million credit cards on file thanks to iTunes; this will make the transition easy for consumers from swiping cards to using NFC. With Apple already holding the credit card details, all they need to do is create the link to the cash register which may come from their iBeacons. Apple has been pushing iBeacons into retail locations since their announcement last year, and with payments being integrated into the solution, the devices will become a "must-have" for retailers."
As with all rumors about any device, nothing is official until the company announces the full details. With that being said, Wired has been typically pretty good with only reporting factual content and tends to stay away from the rumor-mill. With Apple"s event a little over a week away, we shouldn"t have to wait too long to see if all of specs and images were accurate.