Recent reports claim about a surprising possible addition that is supposed to come with the next iPhone generation, dubbed iPhone 5, which is currently still a prototype. This addition could not only mean Apple's definite success over the smart phone market, but also the beginning of a strong innovation period in which practically anything is possible. So, what is this feature all about? What can it actually do?

Well, its name is NFC, which is the abbreviation for "Near-Field Communications". This basically gives electronic devices the ability to interact between them wirelessly simply by being close to each other. This means that it would be possible to tap an iPhone over a publicity advertisement and get information about it immediately, or even purchase a product by simply tapping on it too.

Technologically speaking, this feature could be one of the most historical advances ever made. Microsoft and Apple both know this, which is why they announced in 2011 that they would be adding NFC technology to their devices soon. In fact, it is known from many sources that Apple developed Passbook, one of the new features in iOS 6, to make the device more in tune with NFC.

Passbook is a smart application that can collect tickets, coupons, boarding passes and even cards into its data base. By having them all together, it is designed to alert users whenever they are close to a place where they can use their coupons or their cards for example. So NFC could easily interact with Passbook by giving the user the chance to enjoy their coupons and offers by simply tapping their iPhones with NFC's advanced system.

However, NFC technology is already being used by Google under the name Google Wallet. Many Android smartphones boast of NFC chip but the technology is still in nascent stage in the U.S. market. Hence, incorporation of NFC in iPhone 5 would surely boost the technology's usage. No doubt, Google has a lead over Apple when it comes to incorporating NFC technology but, don't forget that iPhone continues to be the single most popular smartphone in the world.

When will Apple release the new iPhone? Well, information is a little vague about the debut date. However, it will definitely be available by October, not only with the NFC technology but also, if rumors are to be believed, with a 4-inch display with 1136 x 640 pixels resolution, 3D camera and more.