Apple has announced the appearance of alternatives to Apple Pay on iPhone in iOS 18.1
Apple will open NFC in the iPhone for third-party contactless payment services to replace Apple Pay. The company itself announced this in a press release on its website.
The report says that in iOS 18.1, developers will be able to set up a contactless payment function using NFC. This module only worked with the proprietary Apple Pay payment system, but due to pressure from the European Commission (EC), Tim Cook’s company was forced to open the previously closed ecosystem.
The technology description states that third-party companies will have access to the NFC and SE (Secure Element) API. The corporation said that developers will be able to set up bank cards and accounts for paying for goods, virtual car keys, passes, transport tickets, student cards and other alternative tools and services.
However, not every provider will be able to set up their services. Service providers will have to enter into a commercial agreement with Apple and pay the corresponding fees, the amount of which is not specified. In addition to companies from the European Union (EU), the Apple ecosystem will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the US. Apple has promised to add new regions in the future.
At the end of June, the European Commission gave final approval to Apple’s plans to open its ecosystem to third-party payment systems. Third-party payment services will operate separately from Apple Pay and the Wallet digital wallet.
Source: Lenta
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