Whether you pay with Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or any other mobile system, all of these payments are made thanks to near field communication (NFC). Although you may not be aware of it, a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to develop the NFC standard. And all that hard work has resulted in a new version of tap-and-pay technology for cell phones. [The NFC Forum, which manages the NFC specification, has announced what it calls a "Multi-Purpose Tap. This means that a single tap on the phone can do multiple things. This means that NFC card readers will be able to register loyalty cards, promotions, payment information, etc. with a single tap.

The upgrade is claimed to "revolutionize the contactless user experience." I wouldn't go that far, but the ability to transfer more relevant information with a single tap seems quite useful. It would make the process of checking out much easier, ensuring that you get the points and discounts you need to pay at the supermarket. The idea of not having to scan a card or coupon from my wallet before paying sounds very appealing. [The NFC Forum also envisions many scenarios where this technology could come into play.

I'm all for lower travel prices and automatically receiving digital copies of receipts. However, I am not sure how a non-paper receipt would work in a place like Costco, where you sign your receipt and leave. Likewise, I'm not too happy about a payment machine sending me information I didn't ask for. Whether it's related to recycling or companies trying to use it as another way to provide us with advertising, I can't stand it.

At the very least, I would hope that payment providers would offer us the option to opt out of these messages. Or ideally, block the extra spam altogether.

The real downside here is that the NFC Forum does not have any information on when the multi-purpose tap will start rolling out. Right now, the technology is still in the initial discussion phase, and the Forum is asking "members of the NFC value chain" to contribute to further developments. [In other words, payment providers, retailers, and even terminal manufacturers will have a say in how the multipurpose tap is implemented. In other words, payment providers, retailers, and even terminal manufacturers will have an opportunity to have a say in how the multipurpose tap is implemented.