EU Plans to Hit Apple With Antitrust Charges Over Apple Pay
The European Commission is planning to charge Apple with anticompetitive behavior with regards to Apple Pay, since it is the only payment service that can use the iPhone's Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip, Reuters reports.
EU antitrust investigator Margrethe Vestager has been investigating Apple Pay since June last year, but the European Commission has since centered its focus on the NFC chip alone, according to individuals familiar with the matter speaking to Reuters.
The NFC chip in the iPhone and Apple Watch enables tap-and-go contactless payments, but Apple Pay is the only payment service that can use this hardware. On Android devices, multiple payment services can offer contactless payments using the NFC chip, but on the iPhone, no rival services are allowed to leverage the NFC hardware.
The Commission's preliminary concerns also reportedly include Apple's terms and conditions on how Apple Pay should be used in merchants' apps and on websites. Concerns may have been raised by Apple Pay's wide reach and better user experience on the iPhone compared to other services, and accelerated by the growth of contactless payments during the global health crisis.
The EU competition enforcer is now believed to be preparing a statement of objections to charge Apple with anticompetitive conduct, which is expected to be sent to the company next year. The antitrust charge could put Apple at risk of a large fine and force it to open the NFC chip to rival payment systems in Europe. Similar investigations have also been opened in Australia.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Popular Stories
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes.
Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
Apple's former design chief Jony Ive long dreamed of an iPhone with a truly all-screen design, and his wish might finally become reality in a few more years.
The Information today cited multiple sources who said that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display. The device's front camera and Face ID system would both be placed under the screen....
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, according to a paywalled The Information report.
In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For...
In its press release for the new Pride Band today, Apple said that iOS 18.5 is "upcoming," following more than a month of beta testing.
We expect the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate to be released this week, and this should be the final beta version, barring any last-minute bugs or changes. The software update should then be released to the general public next week.
iOS 18.5 is a relatively...
Apple plans to release its first foldable iPhone next year, according to several reporters and analysts who cover the company.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone will offer two key advantages over other foldable smartphones.
First, he said the foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" crease when unfolded. This means the device's...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple's two-generations-away iPhone 18 Pro models will likely feature under-screen Face ID, according to The Information.
The paywalled report today cited a source who said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have only a small hole in the top-left corner of the screen, to accommodate the front-facing camera, with all Face ID hardware moved under the screen.
With under-screen Face ...
Starting in 2026, Apple plans to change the release cycle for its flagship iPhone lineup, according to The Information. Apple will release the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro models in the fall, delaying the release of the standard iPhone 18 until the spring.
The shift may be because Apple plans to debut a foldable iPhone in 2026, which will join the existing iPhone lineup. The fall release...
