Apple might release mobile payment service

While the world waits for the dust to settle from this morning’s new iPad and Apple TV announcements, here is more news from the fruity company – the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved a patent application that might see Apple introduce a mobile payment service, at least according to analysts. According to the patent’s description, “the financial transaction rules may be based upon transaction amounts, aggregate spending amounts over a period, merchant categories, specific merchants, geographic locations, or the like.”

The patent application has images that depict an app known as E-Wallet, but it still remains to be seen whether Apple will introduce such a service with the prefix “i”. – the iWallet, perhaps? With this patent, it would mean that rumors concerning a mobile payments solution that relies on near-field communication technology from Cupertino is nearer to reality than ever before.