The company predicts that with the growing rate of NFC services in the next three years, more smartphones will have the contactless functionality. In addition, the research shows that there will be approximately 300 million NFC-capable devices by 2014.

Mobile research
According to Juniper, the growth will be driven by carriers that will roll out mobile services in 20 countries by 2012.

Currently, there is a growing amount of manufacturers that are integrating NFC chips into mobile devices, such as Nokia and Samsung.

Additionally, the study shows that NFC payments and retail marketing capability via coupons and smart posters will become big among smartphone users in Western Europe, North America and other developed regions.

NFC provides opportunities for companies and for value-added retail marketing services.

The report also shows that North America will account for half of all NFC smartphones in 2014, followed by Western Europe.

However, there are still hurdles ahead.

With entities such as banks, carriers, transportation companies and merchants, service complexity is a challenge in each NFC rollout.

NFC capable
Amazon.com is now rumored to be setting its sights on the increasingly competitive near field communication arena (see story).

However, not everyone is game for NFC.

Apple reportedly declined to have the iPhone 5 support NFC.

The iPhone manufacturer is rumored to be developing its own NFC standard that will link to iTunes and the 200 million-plus consumers who have registered their credit card information with Apple (see story). http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/9380.html

Juniper did not respond to press inquiries.