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In an effort to avoid a fine of up to 10% of annual global market turnover from EU antitrust regulators, Apple has proposed opening access to NFC on iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices without the need to use Apple Pay or Apple Wallet.
Two years ago, the European Commission accused Apple of hindering competition by preventing developers of third-party mobile payment apps from accessing NFC. Under pressure from regulators, Apple has had to provide additional features, including choosing a mobile payment app by default and access to authentication tools, including FaceID.
The European Commission will consider Apple's proposal and may accept it as early as May — a lot depends on how quickly the company handles the technical details of the process. If the proposal is approved, it will be valid for 10 years.
