EU closes antitrust investigation into Apple Pay, after Apple opened up iPhone NFC access

Way back in January, Apple announced policy changes that would allow Apple Pay rivals to get the same access to the NFC contactless chip inside the iPhone. This includes allowing banking and alternative wallets apps to present themselves when the phone is held near a NFC terminal, or when the user double-clicks the side button.

Following some amendments, the EU has finally announced today that it is satisfied with these concessions, and is closing a four-year investigation into Apple’s alleged anti-competitive practices regarding Apple Pay.

As part of the additional commitments, Apple has agreed to remove the requirement for developers to have a license as a Payment Server Provider, in order to be granted the HCE Payments Entitlement. It will also commit to evolving HCE support as industry standards evolve, even in directions that Apple Pay itself may not necessarily implement.