Apple is Opening Up the iPhone's NFC Chip: What You Need to Know

With the launch of iOS 18.1 this fall, Apple will allow third-party developers to support NFC contactless transactions for payments and more. Right now, the NFC chip is locked down, and it's primarily only used for Apple Pay, but a number of new capabilities will be coming when Apple expands access to NFC.

Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone avail FR transaction

NFC Capabilities in Third-Party Apps

With NFC access, banks will be able to offer direct contactless payment options that serve as an alternative to ‌Apple Pay‌, but it app developers will be able to do more, too. Some ways Apple says NFC can be used:

  • Contactless payments in stores
  • Car keys
  • Closed-loop transit cards
  • Corporate badges
  • Student IDs
  • Government IDs (coming in the future)
  • Home keys
  • Hotel keys
  • Merchant loyalty and reward cards
  • Event tickets

Security Protections

Apple is creating several new APIs that will power the contactless transactions. The APIs will use the Secure Enclave in the iPhone, with sensitive information stored directly on device.

Developers will have to request access to the NFC and Secure Enclave entitlement, sign a commercial agreement with Apple, and pay associated fees. Apple plans to make sure that only authorized developers who meet regulatory and industry requirements and commit to Apple's security and privacy standards can get access to the APIs.

Default Contactless App Options

Once these features go live, ‌iPhone‌ users can open up the app and then hold the ‌iPhone‌ near an NFC terminal to make a payment. So if you want to pay at a store using your bank's NFC payment service, you'd open your bank app and then double-click the side button on the ‌iPhone‌ to initiate a transaction.

Third-party apps will also be able to be set as default contactless apps in the ‌iPhone‌'s Settings app.

Transactions will be verified with Face ID or Touch ID.

Apple Pay and Apple Wallet

The NFC APIs are separate from ‌Apple Pay‌ and Apple Wallet, which is why you will need to open up a third-party app to use its NFC capabilities.

Available Countries

Apple's NFC and Secure Enclave APIs are coming to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States.

Support will come to additional locations in the future.

Apple already opened up the NFC chip in the European Economic Area.

iOS 18.1 Launch Date

The new APIs will launch in iOS 18.1, which is an update that Apple is testing at the current time. iOS 18.1 will likely be released a few weeks after iOS 18, and we are expecting to see it sometime in October.

In past years, .1 updates have come out between October 20 and October 25, so the week of October 21 is likely when we will see iOS 18.1 come out.

Tag: NFC

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Top Rated Comments

jiminycricket Avatar
8 months ago
Honestly this kind of sucks. Having a single wallet that has all cards in it is a big plus, making it very easy to switch what card you'll use each time (double click side button, swipe to change card). if card issuers start abandoning wallet and doing their own thing, you could have a single card as default, but to get to other cards you'd have to unlock the phone, open the app, and then you could pay.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vol Braakzakje Avatar
8 months ago
This is one of the good things that the Europeans union has brought.

Hope devs will get creative with this and hopefully all transport systems in the world will use this. That will make travel so much easier in foreign countries.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Seoras Avatar
8 months ago

Being Australian where our big 5 banks tried to sue Apple twice to get access to NFC so they could get around Apple Pay fees I really hope it’s the same cost.

If my bank decides they would rather break the existing wallet setup for clunky direct apps I’ll be finding a bank who actually supports Apple Pay.
Right. I'm in NZ and my bank only just this year finally added Apple Pay support.
I dont want multiple wallets. I certainly don't want to empower my bank or any other more than they already are.
It's not in the consumers interests, this is only in the banks and retailers interests.

I had to facepalm at the "30% cut of each transaction" comment that has been top voted on here.
The ignorance...?‍♂️ Unbelievable.
Wikipedia cites "Financial Times ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Times') reported that Apple receives 0.15% cut of US purchases made with the service"
That's what the banks want to claw back. Apple developed the technology and rolled it out.
In a free market they deserve to be rewarded for this, much used and excellent, service.
It's more secure than a bank card.

The EU comes across as a bit bitter and resentful that no one in Europe can hold a light to what they've done.
Nokia/Ericsson ruled supreme and lost it in 2007.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Piggie Avatar
8 months ago
Wonder if Apple will require a 30% cut of each transaction in order to use this feature ;)
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Havalo Avatar
8 months ago
Tim must be loving EU ?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CharlesShaw Avatar
8 months ago
I'm mentally preparing myself for my grocery store (Kroger--which just recently began accepting Apple Pay) withdrawing from Apple Pay and creating an NFC app that can only be funded by debiting my bank account.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)