This new release will be available in Europe, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States!
Starting with iOS 18.1, Apple has announced that it will open the doors of the NFC chip in its iPhones to third-party developers, through the use of the secure element. This decision will allow apps beyond Apple Pay and Wallet to offer contactless payment features and other authentication options. While the relaxation of this policy was initiated to comply with the Digital Markets Act in Europe, it has been extended to other countries.
This opening of NFC comes in response to the growing demand for more flexible and personalized payment solutions. The same, will allow users to further customize their mobile experiencewhile offering developers new business opportunities.
Apple also opens NFC to developers outside Europe
According to a support document published by Apple, with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to integrate NFC into their apps to offer a wide range of services, such as:
- Payments in stores: E-commerce apps will be able to offer contactless payments directly from the app.
- Digital keys: Users will be able to store car, hotel and house keys on their iPhones.
- ID: Apps will be able to store student IDs, corporate credentials and other documents.
- Public transport: Users will be able to use their iPhones to pay for public transport.
However, even though Apple has reconsidered its closed approach to NFC, the integration process will not be completely free. Developers will need to sign a commercial agreement with Apple, request authorization to use NFC and the secure element, and pay the corresponding fees.
Yes ok Apple has not yet detailed the structure of these fees.clear criteria are likely to be established to ensure the security and quality of applications.
To make a contactless transaction within an app, Users can open the app directly or set the app as their default contactless app in iOS Settings and double-click the side button on the iPhone to initiate a transaction.
At the moment, the NFC API will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States in an upcoming developer release of iOS 18.1, with additional markets to follow in the future.
By allowing more developers to use this technology, Apple is meeting the demands of a more innovative and competitive ecosystemBut this brings with it other risks, such as increased fraud and cyberattacks. Therefore, implementing robust security measures to protect user data will continue to be a challenge for Apple.