UK Antitrust Regulator Pushes Apple to Open iPhone NFC Access to Third Parties
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Apple's near-monopoly on contactless NFC payments, arguing that the company's restrictions on third-party access to iPhone NFC functionality stifle competition in the payments sector.
Apple currently reserves NFC access exclusively for Apple Pay, preventing competing payment apps and financial services from utilizing the technology built into its devices. The CMA contends that this barrier prevents other companies from offering alternative contactless payment solutions to iPhone users.
The investigation is part of broader regulatory scrutiny facing Apple in the UK and other markets. Regulators in the European Union have already taken steps under the Digital Markets Act to require Apple to allow alternative payment systems on iPhones, applying pressure that may extend to other regions.
The CMA's concerns center on whether Apple's restrictions constitute an abuse of market position. If the investigation proceeds and Apple is found to have violated competition rules, regulators could require the company to open NFC access to third-party developers, fundamentally changing how payments work on iPhones in the UK market.