The Times speculated that Apple could be planning to incorporate NFC technology into its new iAd platform, to allow users to receive information or coupons on nearby products.
Airline ticketing services and mobile payments handled through iTunes are also shaping up as likely services, based on the content of Apple's patent applications.
Estimates vary as to the potential of the mobile payments market. Generator Research forecasts that mobile payments will be worth $633.4 billion by 2014, up from $68.7 billion today, while Juniper pegs its at $630 billion by 2014.
Research and Markets expects the global market to rise to $1.13 trillion over the same period.