Apple Pay, the EU Antitrust objections

Apple Pay Later

The Antitrust of the European Commission think that Apple abused its dominance for iOS users to use Apple Pay as your wallet for payments. The EU’s preliminary view is that Apple restricts access to NFC technology, required for smartphone payments in stores. But the company disagrees.

The EU Antitrust thinks that Apple Pay is exploiting the dominant position

According to the Commission, Apple prevents developers from using software and hardware needed by other potential mobile wallet developers. As explained by the head of competition Margrethe Vestager: “We have indications that Apple has limited third-party access to the key technology needed to develop solutions for mobile wallet rivals on Apple devices.“

What emerges from this first preliminary investigation is that “Apple may have limited competition, a benefit of your Apple Pay solution. If confirmed, such conduct would be illegal under our competition rules ”.

According to the company, however, Apple Pay is just one of several options customers can choose from. A spokesperson for Apple explains: “We have designed Apple Pay to provide users with an easy and secure way to digitally present their existing payment cards and to allow banks and other financial institutions to offer contactless payments to their customers “.

But the Apple wallet “it’s just one of the many options available for European consumers to make payments, and ensured fair access to NFC while setting industry-leading standards for what it’s about privacy and security “.

The Cupertino house then stated that it will continue to work with the Commission to determine how to protect security and the market at the same time. But the process could become longer and more contentious. We will keep you posted.

Source

European Commission