European Regulators Will Soon Approve Apple's Plan to Open Up Tap-to-Pay to Banks and Payment Providers
As part of the changes introduced in Europe in iOS 17.4, Apple gave third-party payment apps and banks direct access to the NFC chip, allowing for non-Apple Pay tap-to-pay payment options. The European Commission is set to approve Apple's plan to open up tap-and-go mobile payments "as soon as next month," according to Reuters.
With NFC access, banks and third-party payment apps can offer contactless payments directly on the iPhone without having to use the Wallet app or Apple Pay. This feature is available in the European Economic Area, and it lets EU users set a default non-Apple wallet app and default contactless payment provider that activates at tap-to-pay terminals or when the iPhone's side button is pressed twice.
The European Economic Area (EEA) is the only area where Apple has opened up NFC access, and developers in other countries cannot access the iPhone's NFC chip for tap-to-pay purposes. Customers will be able to use NFC-enabled apps from their banks and other payment providers with no involvement from Apple.
Apple has long limited the NFC chip in the iPhone and other Apple devices to Apple Pay payments, which has prevented banks and other financial services from providing their customers with direct contactless payment solutions on the iPhone.
Apple first announced plans to open NFC payment technology to third-party developers in Europe in January, and Apple made the change in order to address antitrust charges it was facing from the European Commission (EC). The EC has accused Apple of limiting competition by preventing rival mobile wallets from accessing the NFC chip, and Apple's decision to open it up will prevent fines and other penalties.
Popular Stories
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.
In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Juli CloverFollowing the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch.
All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.
"Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle.
Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e.
The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16.
Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location.
Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017.
Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...
