NFC is here, but there's no real push to that technology. But perhaps, Windows Phone 8 might be able to make it a hit. As everyone knows, your phone is soon replacing your wallet. Despite Google and Apple's best efforts, this has not happened yet.

But Microsoft's solution, combines Google's NFC payment options and Apple's membership card scehem to keep all your third party apps and services in one place. Windows Phone 8 NFC plans to take Google Wallet a step further, by getting carriers onboard and putting your private information on secure SIMs instead of the phone itself.

The idea is to get everyone on the same page to get a unified platform that's good to roll out. The Wallet hub comes equipped with its own PIN, so you don't have to lock your whole phone down to secure your mobile money. In app purchases can be made through your Wallet as well, and the same goes with app purchases.

Wallet can also keep Groupon and airline and gift card tiles, which is similar to iOS6's Passbook. And combining it with the ability to make actual payment, Windows Phone 8 has made what Google and Apple is trying to do even better.

The NFC goodness will be available in the US sometime next year. And as to other places around the world, it's probably a good 6 months to a year roll out, if carriers around are not already planning for this to happen.