Apple Opens Mobile Payment Tech to Rivals Amid EU Antitrust Battle

Apple offers rivals access to mobile payment tech in EU antitrust case

Apple offers rivals access to its contactless payment and mobile wallet tech to address EU antitrust concerns.

[{"selector":"#anim-c92ec71c-8997-4cbf-8048-208907bfc7df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0326b8da-f33d-4dea-9e5a-8fa249f618ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -898.96316%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

European Commission found Apple Pay's exclusive use on iPhones may limit competition in the mobile wallet market.

[{"selector":"#anim-3676356e-55db-4c6d-b4a8-ff954496cc2f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e74fbc35-f053-45fa-b623-aecbd6341868","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -670.51711%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Apple proposes commitments, allowing third-party developers access to mobile payment technology.

[{"selector":"#anim-b151f132-fb13-45a3-8752-9dce79136248","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77d026ed-770e-4120-b17c-da8afc9a6f94","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -880.29643%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

New features include defaulting to preferred payment apps and applying non-discriminatory eligibility criteria for rival developers.

[{"selector":"#anim-e23b7975-abe4-45e5-ab5a-f4138e71d742","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b38fa8c-5527-435e-a380-ad5cab288294","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -680.41815%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Changes, if accepted, would remain in place for 10 years, subject to feedback from the European Commission.

[{"selector":"#anim-e2696644-ce04-4e8d-bb77-33fa879ab7f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8aec079-98d2-4a16-9246-64ba9bb0f355","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -880.29643%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-d3a0e24a-d4ef-485a-bbac-d85c00e3170d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e692cf2-aa66-436f-908d-b37ebce8a8f7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -706.48153%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Apple spokesperson states commitment to enabling third-party developers in the European Economic Area for NFC contactless payments within iOS apps.

[{"selector":"#anim-77dcce53-75ac-4c4a-9afd-35e9daf893b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7706c9eb-6935-4aa7-b632-d400885d60a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -932.70762%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Commission seeks feedback on Apple's proposed solutions to address competition concerns.

If accepted, the commission could legally require Apple to implement the changes, with potential fines for non-compliance.

[{"selector":"#anim-d7f2f620-dc3e-440a-ad05-a6930198a337","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc4f822e-2d40-479b-bdab-425d76adea8c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -678.43792%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Apple also faces U.S. antitrust pressure as the Department of Justice reportedly prepares a case against the company.

[{"selector":"#anim-2e502789-25bd-4437-972f-d4a459036cee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-405da588-a6cb-4929-8eec-8ebbbd67271f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -878.96311%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-caa57d90-6b24-4911-a593-a0614bd3e7b3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a6bfb2b-a3f9-4b46-a29d-7279b0078e03","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -742.0024%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] DOJ's case focuses on software and hardware limitations restricting competition on iPads and iPhones, with a potential lawsuit in the first quarter.