Apple wants to open NFC to other payment services in the EU

Apple has offered to open up NFC in the EU to other payment services besides Apple Pay. The European Commission announced this on Friday. The EC would like to know from other parties, such as customers and competitors, what they think of Apple’s proposal.

Rumors have previously circulated about the commitments that Apple wants to make, but now this has also been confirmed the EC. The Commission wrote on Friday that Apple proposes to make the NFC chip in iPhones available for other payment services in the EU. The move should promote competition in mobile payment services. However, payments via third-party payment services can only be made at stores within the European Economic Area.

Apple will continue to offer additional features, including setting a default payment app. Payment apps can also use authentication functions such as FaceID under certain conditions. The commitments offered by Apple will remain in force for ten years if the EC agrees to the terms. Before this happens, the Commission first wants to collect feedback on the proposals from customers and competitors, among others.

Apple has offered Pay since 2014, but other payment services cannot use it. This is possible with Android phones. Apple will offer to open NFC to avoid a fine. This can amount to up to ten percent of the company’s annual turnover.

Update, 4:14 p.m.: An earlier version of the article stated that the NFC chip in iPads could be used for payments. However, the chip on certain iPad models can only be used to make payments in the App Store and not in physical stores, which is possible with the NFC chip in iPhones. The article has therefore been amended.