eWeek reports: "Apple and Verizon Wireless offered another sweet piece of the Apple mobile pie when they announced the iPhone 4 would be coming to the Verizon network Feb. 10. But iPhone fans are already counting down the days to the usual June unveiling of the next-generation iPhone. No official details are available yet, though media reports are beginning to zero in on some of the features the new device and platform are expected to have. One item we believe you can count on as sure as the night is dark is that the next iPhone will include Near-Field Communication capabilities. NFC is the short-range wireless communications technology that enables wireless phones to communicate with sensors in posters, signs and even point-of-sale contact terminals....

 In other words, such technology will make the iPhone an electronic wallet. Expect the iPhone 5 to include a chip and for iOS5 to include an NFC controller software stack homegrown and patented by Apple. But there will be more, lots more. In this slide show, eWEEK speculates on a bunch of other new features for the iPhone 5 this summer."