Adding to the pile of rumors suggesting NFC hardware will be built into the next iPhone, a report on Friday narrows down the as-yet-unannounced component's source to Dutch chipmaker NXP, the same firm that supplies Apple with the M7 coprocessor.
Citing people familiar with Apple's plans, the Financial Times reports the company has been working with NXP on contactless mobile payment system based on near-field communication technology, possibly tied to users' iTunes accounts. According to hardware analysis firm Chipworks, NXP already has a significant presence in Apple's iOS device lineup as the Dutch chipmaker supplies the iPhone 5s' M7 motion coprocessor.