Since the introduction of Apple Pay and NFC in the iPhone, the sensor has been used primarily for payment for purchases and exclusively by the proprietary application. And third-party services and payment systems have always had complaints about this, and some banks have even tried to boycott Apple because of such restrictions.

Also, since the launch of Apple Pay in 2015, the European Commission has accused the company of anti-competitive behavior. In 2019, EU investigators approached payment companies about Apple Pay. They were concerned that limiting the use of NFC on the iPhone could hinder the entry of other payment systems into the market.

It is also worth noting here that Apple Pay is not the preferred payment method in Europe, just as the iPhone is not the best-selling smartphone.

Currently, according to Reuters, Apple has offered to open access to NFC in the EU. In this way, the company wants to avoid further accusations and potential fines from the Antimonopoly Committee. Unfortunately, the publication has no details or context on the case, but refers to three people close to the matter.

At the same time, the EU is also actively exploring alternative payment methods using QR codes and Bluetooth.