Apple has finally allowed third-party app developers to add an NFC option in the upcoming iOS 181 update

Apple announced the change in a blog post today, which can be seen as a response to the European Union forcing Apple to offer an alternative to Apple Pay starting in July This “legally binding” agreement was made after a four-year investigation by the EU

Importantly, Apple's attempt to comply with EU digital market law does not only affect European iPhone owners According to Apple's post, the new NFC API will also be available in the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand

When iOS 181 finally arrives, developers will be able to offer contactless payments and more using the iPhone's Secure Element This dedicated chip is used by Apple Pay, which stores sensitive information that can only be accessed through the Secure Enclave, which manages the iPhone's encryption and biometric data

NFC does not only process payments; NFC also enables car keys, badges, home and hotel keys, loyalty cards, tickets, and various IDs and badges Apple has stated that it will also support government IDs in the future This could mean enhanced support for digital driver's licenses, which already exist in Apple Wallet However, since some states have their own apps for digital IDs, this feature could be extended to states that operate their own systems

While Apple is adding more ways to store digital tickets and boarding passes, it is also adding options to make those passes available to other apps and from the companies that manufacture them

Once NFC is available, you will be able to use that functionality directly from within third-party apps or see that app as the default contactless app in iOS 18 settings

Nevertheless, Apple will require developers to “enter into a commercial agreement with Apple” and require NFC and Secure Enclave entitlements and “pay the associated fees” Whether that will discourage developers from adding NFC to their apps remains to be seen As it stands, Apple has fought repeatedly with various companies over the fees charged for App Store apps

Apple Pay and Apple Wallet will remain the mainstays of iPhone owners, but it is always good to have options