EU
EU Antitrust Okays Apple’s Plan To Open Up Mobile Payments System To Rivals
EU antitrust regulators accepted Apple’s commitments to allow rivals access to its tap-and-go payments system.
This brings a four-year investigation to a close.
The EU executive stated that Apple’s pledges to provide competitors access to the “tap and go” standard technology used for contactless payments with iPhones were sufficient to allay competition concerns raised by the European Commission.
Apple is faced with until July 25 to make the necessary adjustments so that competitor mobile wallet developers can offer contactless payment using the widely accepted NFC technology in the EU, giving their customers the ability to “tap and go” for payments, according to the announcement.
Key iOS features like Face ID, Touch ID, and passcodes for authentication will also be available to them, including the ability to double-click apps to open them.
EU antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, during a press conference, said: “The commission has decided to accept commitments offered by Apple. These commitments address our preliminary concerns that Apple may illegally have restricted competition when it comes to mobile wallets on iPhones.
“The commitments bring important changes to how Apple operates in Europe to the benefit of competitors and customers.
“From now on, Apple can no longer use its control over the iPhone ecosystem to keep other mobile wallets out of the market. Competing wallet developers, as well as consumers, will benefit from these changes, opening up innovation and choice, while keeping payments secure.”
Earlier report stated that The iPad operating system is set to comply with the regulations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) within six months, as per a letter issued by the European Commission to the tech giant.