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Legal texts are usually vague or too abstract. Such a move makes sense only if it is related to system services, such as search engine, maps, weather, Find My... Something like:
Google / Yandex
Apple Maps / Yandex Maps
Facebook / vKontakte...

Or Apple may choose to implement system services by means of local partners, like Chinese iCloud operated in China totally by a local operator. Apple does not license iOS but that doesn't mean it won't license utility services.

If it was related to AppStore apps Apple is fulfilling that requirement since it begun selling iPhones in Russia. "Russian made software? Sure, we offer Russian made software all at once in the App Store, they are all present in the iPhone, simply not loaded, users choose to load them." 

supadav03 said:

I have a question about this. So if Apple is forced to legally allow other companies access to the NFC chip, do they also have to let them access Face ID/Touch ID? Or could they say “sure, you can use another payment method, but we won’t allow you to use biometric ID. You’ll have to use a code or some other form of authentication”? Would doing something like that still put them in compliance with he law? 

This has nothing to do with Face ID/Touch ID. What the said law demands is to support other payment systems too alongside Apple Pay. Imagine supporting PayPal as an alternative to Apple Pay: users may choose PayPal and use the NFC to pay by their PayPal account.

The downside of that law is that competitors in US and other countries may not last to sue Apple on anti-trust grounds. Actually PayPal is one of the funding sources for Apple Pay but that might be the other way as well.

I don’t see why the actual scheme would not work with German (or any other) payment systems once the fee, commission and chargeback issues are resolved. Apple Pay provides the most secure authentication no other competitor would surpass, as proven by the failure of face identification on Android phones.

javacowboy said:

urahara said:

Lol. People who suggest Apple to pull out of Germany because it’s just a rounding error. 

Are you the same people who suggested Apple pull out of China. And before that out of India. 

By your business senses - Apple shouldn’t do business with any other countries except US, and maybe Canada and Australia. LoL.

You sound like a bunch of kids throwing a tantrum. 

Germans love cash and use it far more than most advanced countries.

Not exactly. EU (or at least SEPA countries) have a very effective bank transfer framework that makes the practicality of credit card redundant in online payments. And sellers always prefer online cash against credit card with all of its commission, yearly quota, currency rate and chargeback mess.

And given that the majority of shopping is online and retailers, even Apple stores redirect their customers to their online stores, the practicality of Apple Pay in street shopping is not a big deal, unless Apple issues local credit cards, since not every online seller can be integrated with Apple Pay and Apple Pay has no such claim other than redirecting the seller to their payment provider.

The international payment/money transfer market is not quite as seen from the US. A lot of institutions mostly backed by powerful banks develop local payment methods and those just work. There are a multitude of local "paypals" in almost every country in Europe, Middle East and Asia. The international penetration of Apple Pay just depends on Apple's negotiation power against local banks.

Sorry for spoiling the dreams of who imagine Apple as a "services company".

wizard69 said:

MacPro said:

As we all already could have predicted but nice to see in print.

Not surprised at all!    I work in a MS only workplace and see what the support people go through and frankly I suspect even Linux would be dramatically less trouble.    The biggest problem with Apple in the corporate world, especially manufacturing, is suitable hardware.   The Mac Mini is not a universal solution and all in ones are completely unacceptable.  I still don’t think Apple gets it but then again neither do many corporate IT managers. 

What? Where are you living? We see a lot of iMacs on reception desks, hospitals and many crowded business places every day...