If you fancy using your mobile phone to make payments rather than a credit card, then you are in luck. Orange is believed to be launching the service as early as 2011.

The company is keen to make use of the new technology as quickly as possible.  Since Google’s latest handset – the Nexus S – is NFC enabled, Orange want to get their customers using this sooner rather than later.

Speaking with knowyourmobile.com, Stephane Richard Chief Executive Office for Orange said: “[we are] working with other operators, banks, retailers, transport and service providers to develop a seamless, convenient and secure way to validate transport or make payments.”

Next year also sees further smartphone developments. For instance, Sony Ericsson is thought to be expanding its Xperia series with launches of new devices at the World Mobile Conference in February.

One mobile handset is already known about, namely the Xperia Play – the hybrid phone and PlayStation device. However experts have been reliably informed that the company also intend releasing their first Android devices.

Sony Ericsson has been criticised recently by some analysts, stating that so far the company has a poor record as far as updates are concerned, which have in fact been more or less non existent. The same experts have also criticised the company for offering customers rather ineffective software implementation.

The same critics do say however that provided Sony Ericsson deals with these issues properly they see no reason why the new devices, including the Xperia Play, can’t be successful.