Rumor: Apple Already Testing Proximity-aware iPhones

We recently got wind that Apple had hired an expert in Near Field Communications (NFC), leading many folks to speculate that Apple might be looking to allow the iPhone to double up as our digital wallet in the future. Now word is going around that Apple is already in the process of testing prototypes of a proximity-aware iPhone. According to said report, the prototype iPhone sports hardware from NXP Semiconductor, which does add some credibility that the next-generation iPhone might include NFC capabilities. Another possible usage of NFC technology on the iPhone would be for the wireless transfer of files from device to device, such as from an iPhone to a new Apple TV (or iTV). Of course, until Apple officially announces something, nothing is set in stone yet, but it’s still a very interesting notion.