Google has picked up the NFC baton, in the same week that
Apple has reportedly dropped it.

Rumour has it Google is set to start trials in NFC in the next quarter. Trials will kick off in shops in New York City and San Francisco.

Google’s dalliance with NFC comes as Apple rumours that it will include NFC on iPhone 5 have been quashed by louder gossip that it will not be supporting the wave and pay technology in its devices this year.

The most recent Android operating system release, 2.3.3, included NFC and also an NFC reader and writer API, that will support third party applications.

In the US, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T are working together on Isis, a joint venture that will push NFC services out to the operators’ combined, 200-million-strong customer bases over the next year and beyond. In Europe, operators are working with Barclaycard and Visa on NFC services.