Apple grants US developers the same NFC features it was forced to provide in Europe

Posted:
in iOS

Following pressure to open up its iPhone NFC payment processes to rivals across Europe, Apple has decided to bring the same feature to more countries, including the US.

Apple's iPhone NFC to open to third-party devs post-EU probe
Apple's iPhone NFC to open to third-party devs post-EU probe



The European Union required Apple to allow rivals access to its technology under its recent Digital Markets Act (DMA). Now having created what it describes as a "secure way to offer NFC contactless transactions," Apple is allowing developers in selected regions.

Initially, those regions are:


  1. Australia

  2. Brazil

  3. Canada

  4. Japan

  5. New Zealand

  6. UK

  7. US



More countries and regions are to follow, but Apple has not announced a schedule.

For developers now allowed access to the technology, it means that they will be able to offer in-app contactless payments, plus keys, reward cards, ID cards, and more. The developers will be able to do this without Apple Pay or Apple Wallet, but still using Apple's Secure Element to protect users' privacy.

"Apple has dedicated significant resources to design a solution that protects users' security and privacy," says the company in a statement, "leveraging a number of Apple's proprietary hardware and software technologies when making a contactless transaction, including the Secure Enclave, biometric authentication, and Apple servers."

From the users' perspective, they can open an app and then perform the transaction. Or they can set the third-party app as their default payment method.

In that case, they will be able to double-press on the iPhone's side button to bring up the third party payment system. It will take the place of Apple Pay.

Developers have to apply to Apple to get access to the NFC system. The application process involves an as-yet unspecified fee, and developers must meet various industry regulations.

The ability to use NFC as a third-party developer will be introduced along with iOS 18.1, later in the fall.



Read on AppleInsider

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,147member
    That only makes sense - having API features in some countries and not others wouldn't be good for developers and would confuse consumers.
    VictorMortimerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 26
    jgreg728jgreg728 Posts: 111member
    This is fine as long as Apple Pay stays an option. Taking that option away from the hundreds of millions of users in favor of a separate app isn't a good thing either. I don't want to set a different wallet app to every single card I own. 
    rob53mike1watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 26
    NmsNms Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    rob53mike1williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 26
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,308member
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Comment back when you've been required to install government apps from the EU Store. I live in the USA and if my government forces me to install a non-Apple App Store app there will be so many people challenging this that the idiot who forced it will be removed from their job.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 26
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,641member
    rob53 said:
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Comment back when you've been required to install government apps from the EU Store. I live in the USA and if my government forces me to install a non-Apple App Store app there will be so many people challenging this that the idiot who forced it will be removed from their job.
    You think that's something likely to happen? That said, I recall Apple tussling with Russia over a mandate to preinstall a selection of Russian government apps. China doing the same would not shock me. 
    edited August 14
  • Reply 6 of 26
    dvzdvz Posts: 2member
    Assuming the EU did pressure Apple on this matter, it's at the least remarkable that the initial list of countries doesn't contain any EU countries...
    williamlondon
  • Reply 7 of 26
    I would love if we could replace NFC tags with the iPhone.

    Imagine company badges, some residencial buildings.

    Can't wait.
    VictorMortimerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 26
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,440member
    dvz said:
    Assuming the EU did pressure Apple on this matter, it's at the least remarkable that the initial list of countries doesn't contain any EU countries...

    Ugh! Because it was already done there.
    williamlondonnubus
  • Reply 9 of 26
    I would love if we could replace NFC tags with the iPhone.

    Imagine company badges, some residencial buildings.
    This can already be done. The iPhone can be used to unlock some locks, and I use my iPhone to enter and start my car.
    mike1Alex_Vwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 26
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 8,019member
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Great for you but what about others who want the option to use other systems? 

    Why should I trust Apple more than my bank? After all, I've been using my (non-iPhone) phone to make NFC contactless payments for longer than I can remember. All without issue.

    Apple Pay was effectively a toll system for all iPhone wallet payments. Now there will be competition and users are free to trust entities of their choice. 

    As a result of the EU requirements, the Barcelona public transport system was able to protest to the EU and make Apple open up iPhones for its contactless travel card system which Apple had been holding back on for the last couple of years. 
    muthuk_vanalingamAlex_VVictorMortimer
  • Reply 11 of 26
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Nobody wants to pay actual money for software anymore anyway.  So don't try making it sound like devs are "saving pennies".
    williamlondon
  • Reply 12 of 26
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Nobody wants to pay actual money for software anymore anyway.  So don't try making it sound like devs are "saving pennies".

    Those two statements are separate things.  Development costs money regardless of how the resulting product is paid for, and corporate finance departments will embrace "saving pennies" in a heartbeat.
    meterestnzwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 26
    YP101YP101 Posts: 178member
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    Nobody wants to pay actual money for software anymore anyway.  So don't try making it sound like devs are "saving pennies".
    Well, it depends, some company half-baked software/games try to sell and busted. Is that consumer does not want to pay?
    If so, then how comes all those companies are now move on to subscription base or in-app purchase route? This is current business model and they make big money.
    Don't think consumer does not want to pay. They just don't want to pay half-baked products. We've been burned so many times.

    I think EU just open the door for all kinds of scam. At least Apple try to block some odd ball apps up front, now that workload is consumer's burden.
    Good luck with that. In USA, around $10 Billion fraud in consumer level in 2023. That include all kinds of scam email, text message, phone call. Now they want to add on to phone apps. Even company's employees dumb enough click scam email that cause ransom ware attack. 
    Don't ever think all politicians are so smart, they know everything. And company and devs are work so hard to make perfect software/games. They promised and failed due to tech limit or budget. Yes. All company and dev want save money. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 26
    Good.

    Now give us the ability to install software from any source of our choosing, not just your idiotic app store.
  • Reply 15 of 26
    Nms said:
    I will NEVER, EVER , install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from Apple App Store.

    I live in Europe and this is one of the reasons I use Apple Devices. I TRUST Apple.

    Don't trust EU, or wannabe devs that want to save pennies sacrificing security and TRUST provided by Apple. 
    I will ALWAYS install apps on my Apple devices that DO NOT come from the idiotic Apple app store whenever I have a choice.

    I live in the US, and I want the same option for my iPhone that I already have and use on my Mac.  I do not trust Apple any more than anybody else, because Apple is not particularly trustworthy.

    I trust open source developers FAR more than I trust Apple.
  • Reply 16 of 26
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 13,101member
    Good.

    Now give us the ability to install software from any source of our choosing, not just your idiotic app store.
    No, because this is a feature not a bug. It’s what’s made the iPhone stone-simple to use, without fear of junk ware or malware or the ills of PCs. Don’t like it? Buy an Android. What are you waiting for? Go, be happy. You’re free now, Yeller!
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 26
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 8,019member
    Good.

    Now give us the ability to install software from any source of our choosing, not just your idiotic app store.
    No, because this is a feature not a bug. It’s what’s made the iPhone stone-simple to use, without fear of junk ware or malware or the ills of PCs. Don’t like it? Buy an Android. What are you waiting for? Go, be happy. You’re free now, Yeller!
    What has gone before is not always the right way to do things.

    The iPhone stopped being easy to use many years ago and other systems are equally not difficult to use. Easy is not the same as being used to something. 

    It is possibly correct to say that even Apple knows the situation can't go on forever and is slowly adjusting to a more level (yet imposed) playing field. Better late than never. 

    Is there any major market that isn't putting Big Tech (it's not just an Apple thing as some seem to think) under the microscope and taking or evaluating appropriate measures?

    What makes a digital mobile platform a success is not the hardware but the apps available for it. If any platform offered solely first party solutions, it wouldn't get far.

    Setting yourself up as the only gatekeeper and imposing not only financial rules and regulations but also what kinds of apps are even available and then putting up barriers to things like NFC usage was never to escape regulatory pushback at some point.

    'Buy an Android' isn't a valid proposal as it ignores why Apple (in this context) on the hook in the first place. 

    A far better proposal would be for Apple to go 100% first party but then not even you would buy into that. And Apple doesn't want it either. That option has always existed but Apple knows what side its bread is buttered on and it very much likes its butter. Better to just comply (even if 'maliciously' at first to see how far it can push things. 


    edited August 15 muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 18 of 26
    nubusnubus Posts: 617member
    It wasn't possible at all... but now Apple is doing PR on how great it is even outside EU. This "built in India to specifications from EU politicians" thing seems to be a hit with Apple. Just wait 2 years and Apple PR will tell how all their products will have batteries designed for replacement by users. Might as well let Vestager do the next keynote.
    avon b7williamlondon
  • Reply 19 of 26
    avon b7 said:
    Good.

    Now give us the ability to install software from any source of our choosing, not just your idiotic app store.
    No, because this is a feature not a bug. It’s what’s made the iPhone stone-simple to use, without fear of junk ware or malware or the ills of PCs. Don’t like it? Buy an Android. What are you waiting for? Go, be happy. You’re free now, Yeller!
    What has gone before is not always the right way to do things.

    The iPhone stopped being easy to use many years ago and other systems are equally not difficult to use. Easy is not the same as being used to something. 

    It is possibly correct to say that even Apple knows the situation can't go on forever and is slowly adjusting to a more level (yet imposed) playing field. Better late than never. 

    Is there any major market that isn't putting Big Tech (it's not just an Apple thing as some seem to think) under the microscope and taking or evaluating appropriate measures?

    What makes a digital mobile platform a success is not the hardware but the apps available for it. If any platform offered solely first party solutions, it wouldn't get far.

    Setting yourself up as the only gatekeeper and imposing not only financial rules and regulations but also what kinds of apps are even available and then putting up barriers to things like NFC usage was never to escape regulatory pushback at some point.

    'Buy an Android' isn't a valid proposal as it ignores why Apple (in this context) on the hook in the first place. 

    A far better proposal would be for Apple to go 100% first party but then not even you would buy into that. And Apple doesn't want it either. That option has always existed but Apple knows what side its bread is buttered on and it very much likes its butter. Better to just comply (even if 'maliciously' at first to see how far it can push things. 


    Excellent post. Well said, particularly on the points that i have highlighted in bold. iOS is not easy to use, Apple's smartphone customers have gotten used to iOS, so they find Android difficult to use. Much like people who are used to Windows finding it difficult to use Linux or MacOS.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 20 of 26
    Good.

    Now give us the ability to install software from any source of our choosing, not just your idiotic app store.
    No, because this is a feature not a bug. It’s what’s made the iPhone stone-simple to use, without fear of junk ware or malware or the ills of PCs. Don’t like it? Buy an Android. What are you waiting for? Go, be happy. You’re free now, Yeller!

    "...without fear of junk ware or malware..."

    I'm not sure what app store you're using on your phone, but there's plenty of junk ware and malware on Apple's app store.
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondon
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