NFC has long evaded the iPhone, but maybe not anymore. And with it, outdoor advertising could experience the change it's been looking for, for a long time coming.

Outdoor advertisers will have the license to try out some interactive advertising by end of next year. They will most likely be playing with the idea of dispensing coupons to showing different ads to those who walk by. So much, that billboards of tomorrow may no longer be just billboards.

NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a mobile technology that allows for the transmission of data within the space of a few inches. It's like RFID, and is already in some mobile phones, like Samsung. Apple is the only left holding out.

The Cupertino company has yet to confirm whether NFC will be included in its upcoming phone, though rumors have surfaced that the next gen phone will include an NFC reader.

It may be entirely plausible since NFC was said to be included in the original designs of the iPhone 4S but later removed.

That said, if the tech finds its way to the new iPhone, it could mean big changes for outdoor advertising.  Suzanne Grimes, president and COO of Clear Channel Outdoors America, says at the very least, NFC outdoor ads can improve on the QR code. "QR codes are little clunky," she says. "We are focusing on NFC because it's really elegant."

Do you think the inclusion of NFC in Apple's next phone is a sign that the industry is primed for change? It will certainly provide more options, that's for sure. Check out a Samsung NFC Ad campaign video below: