Europe could approve Cupertino's plan to open up iPhone NFC technology as early as May, according to Reuters.
As reported by Reuters, the European Union appears to be moving closer to approving Apple's proposal regarding theopening of its tap-to-pay technology to local developers.
This event would mark the end of a long legal dispute that dragged on for two years.
The approval would allow third-party operators to use Apple's NFC system, thus opening the door to a greater variety of payments solutions on the continent.
The green light could be announced as early as next month, at the latest by the summer.
Payment history
In 2022, the European Commission accused Apple of abuse its dominant position in mobile wallet markets, arguing that the company prevent third-party payment apps from using iPhones' NFC hardware to benefit Apple Pay.
Following this, earlier this year, the Commission announced that Apple has committed to allowing third-party payment providers to freely use the NFC capabilities of iPhones.
This commitment also includes access to Face ID for user authentication and the ability for iPhone users to set third-party apps as the default payment option.
Long-term
The Commission is expected to accept Apple's offer in May, although it has requested some changes before approval.
Once approved, the proposal, which as mentioned includes the possibility for users to set an alternative payment method as default and the integration of biometric recognition via Face ID, would remain valid for a period of 10 years.
However, outside the EU, we may not see such changes; Apple has not yet clarified whether it intends to open NFC access to developers beyond the borders of the Union.
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