Apple has taken steps to address the antitrust concerns raised by the European Commission regarding its popular Apple Pay app. The tech giant has made a commitment to allow access to third-party mobile wallet and payment services, thus ensuring fair competition and consumer choice.
Opening Up Contactless Payments
Under the new agreement, companies’ apps will be able to make contactless payments on iOS devices, such as iPhones, without being restricted to using Apple Pay or Apple Wallet. This move aims to promote innovation and offer users more options for mobile payments.
Commitments for Third-Party Developers
In response to the EU’s antitrust investigation, Apple has offered commitments to provide third-party developers in the European Economic Area (EEA) with an option to enable NFC contactless payments within their iOS apps, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. This means that users will have more flexibility in making payments through different apps while maintaining the unparalleled privacy and security features of Apple Pay.
Extending Accessibility
In addition to the above concession, Apple has also agreed to extend the third-party allowance to all mobile wallet app developers within the EEA. This includes countries within the EU (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), ensuring that iOS users in that zone can utilize these apps for payments. Furthermore, Apple will not hinder the use of these apps for payments outside of the designated area, offering greater convenience for users.
Apple’s commitment to addressing the antitrust concerns raised by the European Commission marks a significant step towards fostering competition and enhancing consumer options within the mobile payment space.
