Apple's tap-to-pay technology on the iPhone, also referred to as "tap and go," was recently accepted by the European Union, as the company planned to make it available for third-party companies to access the service. This is after several years in which Apple previously faced a complaint from Belgium accusing Cupertino of blocking rivals and had to face an antitrust complaint.
For many years, Apple held a lid on making the iPhone's NFC exclusive to its Apple Pay and Wallet features only, with the EU claiming that this was an anti-competitive behavior from the company.
Apple iPhone's Tap-to-Pay Plan Now Accepted by the EU
The European Commission shared a new press release detailing it already accepted Apple's plans to open the iPhone's tap-to-pay technology for third-party platforms and rivals to access. According to the Commission, this is now 'legally binding' under the EU's antitrust rules after a long case against Cupertino for this feature's exclusivity.
With this, the iPhone's NFC would now be accessible to third-party providers for free and should not be required to use Apple Pay or Apple Wallet.
EU also requires Apple under this commitment to allow third parties to be used as default payment modes, get access to Touch ID or Face ID, and use other relevant features of the iPhone's NFC.
No More Fines for Apple, Third-Party Access Coming
With Apple's commitment and plan to the EU's antitrust laws, the company will no longer face a fine as it has opened up its NFC features and will allow third-party access. The Commission claimed that it previously found Apple to have abused its position with this exclusivity for the NFC, which is now changing in the future for wallet providers and customers.
Apple's Tap-to-Pay NFC Technology on the iPhone
The EU's case against Apple's iPhone NFC technology being exclusive to iOS is not the only one in the world, as the United States has also pursued Cupertino many times in the past for this antitrust complaint. Last year, Apple attempted to dismiss the case, but its motion was denied by a California judge, with the case made to proceed.
However, that is changing soon for its operations in the European Union's region, as Apple previously confirmed that its tap-to-pay, Apple Pay, and iPhone NFC technology would soon be open for third-party companies to access. It was revealed that Apple would face fines in the EU if it continued to make it exclusive, but the company is now avoiding it by opening up.
Many companies wish to take advantage of Apple's iPhone NFC technology have launched antitrust complaints and class-action suits against Cupertino to make it accessible. The European Union has accepted Apple's proposal for third-party access to its tap-to-pay tech, which will soon deliver an experience with the iPhone's NFC.
