Apple will open up its NFC and Tap-to-Pay Secure Element functionality in iOS to alternative providers worldwide. This should be possible starting with the release of iOS 18.1. All of this requires a contract with Apple and additional fees.

The new features will soon be available worldwide, although it is not yet known when iOS 18.1 will be released. The rollout will begin in the US, but will later be available in Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

This means that the current Apple NFC and Secure Element (SE) functionality, which was previously only available for Apple Pay and Apple Wallet on iPhones, is now also available to other providers. Starting with the new iOS release, these providers can also use their own contactless payment systems in their apps via targeted APIs.

For example, consider contactless payments, but also the provision of digital car keys, travel tickets, lock openers, hotel room keys, admission tickets and loyalty cards. Apple states that government ID cards will also be supported in the future.

Secure Element technology

The new APIs will also soon allow developers to use the existing SE functionality in iPhones. SE is a chip designed by Apple to store sensitive information. This information can only be accessed through the so-called Secure Enclave, which handles encryption and biometric data. Other phone makers have similar hardware implementations, but Apple’s design differs from them.

Hook

Of course, Apple has another catch for developers who want to use the tech giant’s technology. Developers who want to use Apple’s NFC and SE functionality for their own (payment) applications must first enter into a commercial agreement with Apple. And of course, they must pay the “required fees”.

Thanks to the EU

Apple’s global opening of NFC and SE follows the measures that Apple had to take within the EU. This opening was, among other things, part of the measures that Apple had to comply with under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The EU thus forced Apple to grant other mobile wallet developers access to the payment technology on iPhones.

Read also: Apple changes App Store policy again for DMA: What’s changing?