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.

With Amazon.com already a major player in mobile commerce via its mobile Web site and applications, the company is now rumored to be setting its sights on the increasingly competitive near field communication arena.

Wicked Spoon Yogurt is the first food establishment in New York to partner with mPunch for a mobile-only loyalty program that rewards consumers via their device.

With Google, MasterCard and Citi reportedly teaming up to go head-to-head with the U.S. carriers’ Isis joint venture with Discover Card and Barclaycard, a war in the near field communication space is on the horizon.

ORLANDO, FL – Many merchants still have reservations about near field communication and mobile payments that must be addressed to convince them to make the necessary upgrades to their point-of-sale systems, according to a CTIA panelist.

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.

Applebee’s, American Eagle, AMC Theatres, Blockbuster, Bass Pro Shops and SpaFinder are driving revenue by offering Valentine’s Day digital gift cards that are redeemable via mobile.

CardStar is extending the reach its mobile loyalty platform by distributing Groupon’s daily deals to its 1.3 million iPhone application users in more than 160 cities.

Businesses in Chicago are using mobile-social rewards to generate awareness, encourage in-store traffic and build customer loyalty.

With corporate behemoths such as Starbucks Coffee Co. and McDonald’s Corp. leading the way, 50 percent of consumers will have made a mobile payment of some kind by 2014, according to Juniper Research.