Apple to open iPhone NFC chip to third-party developers with iOS 18.1

Apple has announced that developers will soon have the capability to integrate NFC transactions directly within their apps, a feature that has been largely limited to Apple Pay until now.

With the release of iOS 18.1 later this year, developers will gain access to new APIs that enable in-app contactless transactions, independent of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. This update will allow for a broader range of payment and access options, including in-store purchases, car keys, transit passes, corporate badges, student IDs, home and hotel keys, merchant loyalty cards, event tickets, and even government IDs in the future. The APIs will leverage the iPhone’s Secure Enclave, a certified chip designed to securely store sensitive data on the device.

Users can utilize apps featuring these new APIs either by launching the app directly or by setting it as their default contactless app in Settings, allowing them to initiate transactions by double-clicking the Side button.

To access these APIs, developers must request the necessary NFC and Secure Enclave entitlements, enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, and pay associated fees. Apple has stated that these measures are in place to ensure that only authorized developers who meet specific regulatory and industry standards, as well as Apple’s security and privacy requirements, can utilize the APIs.

Initially, the NFC and Secure Enclave APIs will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the U.S. with the upcoming developer seed for iOS 18.1, with plans to expand to additional regions in the future.