Apple to allow developers access to NFC chip on iPhone, enabling Apple Pay alternatives in Europe
Apple has today announced that to comply with the Digital Markets Act’s requirements in the European Union, iOS 17.4, releasing in March 2024, will add support for developers to access the NFC chip on iPhone, paving the way for Apple Pay alternatives in Europe.
By allowing developers access to the NFC chip, Apple is being forced to eliminate the dependency on Apple Pay or the Wallet app as the only mobile payment service available on iPhone. This opens avenues for third-party payment services and banks to introduce their tap-to-pay solutions on Apple devices.
According to Apple, access to NFC technology will be restricted to banking and wallet apps operating within the European Economic Area.
The change is part of many coming to iOS 17.4, including support for third-party app stores on iPhone, allowing users in the EU to download apps to their devices through an app marketplace other than Apple’s own App Store.