In an effort to win over European antitrust authorities, Apple has promised to allow competitors to access and use its contactless payment technology.

Users can make purchases with Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payment function, by only tapping their iPhones, which are powered by the iOS operating system. Its payment technology was previously unavailable to third-party mobile wallet developers due to Apple’s exclusive control over this operating system.

Since Apple Pay is the only alternative available to iPhone customers, the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, concluded in 2022 that “such exclusionary conduct may restrict competition in the market for mobile wallets on iOS devices.” Apple consequently put up a number of promises to allay the commission’s worries.

According to Apple, rival developers will be subject to “non-discriminatory eligibility criteria,” and third-party developers will be granted access to the mobile payment technology in order to create additional services for consumers such as defaulting to preferred payment apps.

“Through our ongoing discussions with the European Commission, we have offered commitments to provide third-party developers in the European Economic Area with an option that will enable their users to make NFC contactless payments from within their iOS apps, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.

The panel declared on Friday that the modifications will stand for ten years. It wants opinions on the fixes that Apple has suggested.

The commission will accept Apple’s assurances and formally compel the company to carry out the adjustments if they allay competition concerns raised by European regulators. The company may be fined up to 10% of its total revenue if it doesn’t comply.

Antitrust authorities in the United States are also putting pressure on Apple; a Bloomberg story claims that the Department of Justice is strengthening its case against the corporation. According to reports, the DOJ’s action focuses on hardware and software restrictions that impede competition on iPads and iPhones.

According to the report, the DOJ may bring the lawsuit against Apple in the first quarter.

(Adapted from APNews.com)