Microsoft is set to follow in the footsteps of Google and add contactless payments functionality to its latest mobile phone operating system, according to Bloomberg.
The software giant is planning to add NFC to its Windows mobile operating system as early as this year, says the wire, citing anonymous sources.
Google has already introduced an NFC-enabled handset and this week reports claimed that it has begun working with Citi and MasterCard to roll out the technology.
Apple was widely tipped to be prepping contactless functionality for the iPhone 5 but recent rumours suggest this has now been put on hold.
Meanwhile, major US telcos AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have set up a joint venture in a bid to ensure they are at the forefront of a mobile payments industry Gartner predicts will be worth $245 billion in transactions in 2014, up from $32 billion last year.
Microsoft Is Said to Plan Mobile Payments in New Phone Software - Bloomberg