Apple offers to open iPhone NFC payments to third-party providers after EU investigation
Apple will let third-party mobile wallet and payment providers access the iPhone’s NFC capabilities in concessions meant to address a European Commission antitrust investigation, the regulator announced today. The Commission is now seeking feedback on the commitments, which would end Apple Pay and Apple Wallet’s exclusive access to the iPhone’s NFC payment features. It’s the latest development in the nearly four year-old investigation.
The proposed commitments come a little over one and a half years after the Commission formally accused Apple of using its iOS policies to restrict competition in the mobile payments market in violation of EU law. “The Commission takes issue with the decision by Apple to prevent mobile wallets app developers, from accessing the necessary hardware and software (‘NFC input’) on its devices, to the benefit of its own solution, Apple Pay,” the regulator said at the time.
“We have offered commitments to provide third-party developers in the European Economic Area with an option that will enable their users to make NFC contactless payments from within their iOS apps, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet”
“Through our ongoing discussions with the European Commission, we have offered commitments to provide third-party developers in the European Economic Area with an option that will enable their users to make NFC contactless payments from within their iOS apps, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet,” Apple told the Wall Street Journal in a statement.
There’s no mention of the commitments applying to iPhone users or third-party wallet developers outside of the EU, but the Commission’s press release does say that Apple’s proposals would allow someone with an Apple ID registered in the European Economic Area to make NFC payments using third-party apps outside of the bloc.
The proposed commitments would be in place for 10 years, and could be punished with a fine of up to 10 percent of Apple’s worldwide annual turnover if it doesn’t honor them.
Apple will let third-party mobile wallet and payment providers access the iPhone’s NFC capabilities in concessions meant to address a European Commission antitrust investigation, the regulator announced today. The Commission is now seeking feedback on the commitments, which would end Apple Pay and Apple Wallet’s exclusive access to the iPhone’s…
Recent Posts
- X-Men ‘97 didn’t have to go that hard
- This smart smoker makes barbecuing indoors a breeze
- Sugar’s big twist was more than a gimmick
- Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk Review: A Cute Portable Workstation
- Scientists have created an ultra resistant storage solution that can resist temperatures of 1100°F — shame that it will only be available in megabyte capacities for a foreseeable future
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011