Apple's iWatch Could Come in Two Sizes and Be Used to Pay at the Register

An artist’s rendering of the iWatch. We may find out what it actually looks like next week.

Apple plans to include near-field communication (NFC), a technology that can be used to make payments wirelessly, in its upcoming smartwatch, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company is also expected to add the technology, which is used to transmit data wirelessly over short distances, to the next version of its iPhone, the paper added.

The smartwatch will be offered in two sizes and will have sensors to track and monitor health, people familiar with the device told the paper.

However, the smartwatch is unlikely to go on sale this year, the people said. That echoes a report from trusty Apple reporter John Paczkowski in the Re/Code blog.

KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, who is considered another reliable source on Apple, also released a research note on Thursday claiming that Apple planned to debut two iWatches soon. Kuo also said that the iWatch would not go on sale until 2015.

Apple did not immediately respond to calls and emails for comment.

NFC will allow users to make payments for goods and services with credit cards stored with Apple’s iTunes digital content store, the report said.

SEE MORE: What Is NFC, and Why Does It Matter for the iPhone 6?

Apple has invited media to a “special event” in its hometown of Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9, when the iPhone maker is expected to unveil the latest versions of its best-selling smartphones. Those phones are expected to become available on Friday, September 19th.

(Reporting by Soham Chatterjee in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)