• ‘World phone’– capable of working on any network carrier
• To the Cloud!- Wireless software updates…and scratch any type of data storage for that matter, thanks to iOS 5 with iCloud
• Screen- Bigger, edge-to-edge with no home button making the next generation completely touch
• Design-said to resemble a sleek teardrop shape along with being slimmer and lighter than previous models
• NFC Technology- with all the buzz around mobile payment services, one can only assume Apple will introduce this into their next-gen

What would you like to see in the new iPhone?

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Mobile sales increased by 300% last year from $600 million to $2 billion and with smartphone usage growing by the day, expect to see that trend continue to rise.

But who else will reap the benefits of m-commerce?

Why Google, of course.

The company has already announced its plans to establish a bigger presence in the mobile industry. And they have begun that process by incorporating near-field communication (NFC) software into its newest Android device, the Nexus S. In a shopping setting, this technology would allow users to store financial information (credit card, gift card info, etc.) then wave a device in front of a retailer’s receiver at the point-of-sale.

This potential mobile payment system is best explained by ZippyCart, but the overall purpose would be to, in essence, “replace the need to carry a wallet or credit card with their technology.”

Not only that, but Bloomberg adds that “Google’s NFC scheme includes an advertising component that would allow merchants to beam a coupon or other reward to customers while they are shopping.” So we can see where the mobile ad business fits in here as well.

You can bet that Google isn’t the only company looking to ride the wave of mobile commerce popularity. Nokia and Research In Motion  are looking to employ NFC in its devices sooner than later and Apple with its iTunes account and payment settings (as well as its PayPal app) would be a prime candidate to pull off such a process.

Not to mention that in November, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile created a venture called ISIS that would launch an NFC-based transaction service by 2012.

This sounds awfully cool but awfully dangerous at the same time. Misplacing or being robbed of a phone loaded with card numbers and bank account info is a frightening scenario – last decade’s equivalent of having your phone, wallet and lap top stolen at the same time.

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