Near field communication has the potential to generate billions of dollars of incremental revenue from mobile marketing services alone, not even factoring in payments, which will be a watershed moment for mobile, according to Razorfish.

ORLANDO, FL – As near field communication continues to gain momentum, merchants and marketers should realize that it enables more than just contactless payments – it can be used to inspire consumer loyalty, according to a panel at CTIA Wireless 2011.

Analysts predict an increase in malware – malicious software – and other security threats that hackers spread through mobile devices, especially as sales of smartphones continue to explode worldwide.

The near field communication ecosystem is finally coming together, setting the stage for the massive worldwide deployment of contactless mobile payments in 2012.

The first and most important task for the near field communication ecosystem is to define the kind of infrastructure that will be used to enable businesses to provide NFC-based services to their customers, according to SJB Research.

Multiple reports are adding fuel to the fire of rumors that Apple’s iPhone 5 will be embedded with a near field communication chip, a move that could shoot mobile payments into the stratosphere.

Mobile payments will approach $1 trillion by 2015 in the United States if retailers receive lower payment-processing fees based on a more efficient system, according to The Luciano Group.

While it will not quite achieve mass-market adoption in 2011, this year the various ecosystem players will take major steps forward to realize the vision of a mobile wallet compatible with handsets of all types.

Google has acquired Canadian startup Zetawire to enhance its Near Field Communication offerings that enable contactless mobile payments and bridge Google Checkout and point-of-sale payments.

Visa has made mobile contactless payments available commercially for various smartphones via DeviceFidelity’s In2Pay microSD platform.