According to the , Apple will introduce near-field communications (NFC) in the next generation of its iPhone and iPad.

NFC lets mobile device owners wave a phone over a short-range wireless receiver or tap the device to make a purchase. The practice is widespread in Japan and has gained momentum in Europe, but adoption in the U.S. has been sluggish.

If Bloomberg's sources are accurate, Apple's move wouldn't be a surprise. Last July, the company , who previously was product manager for mobile wallet, payment and NFC at mFoundry. Vigier conceived and managed the Starbucks mobile payment system on the iPhone, which began in 7,500 stores Jan. 19.

Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, said today that an iPhone/iPad-based payment system ties together several loose ends.

First of all, said Gottheil, a mobile payment system would give Apple a way to make money a new way.