EU accuses Apple of breaking competition law over Apple Pay

[Daniel Sims]

In a nutshell: Apple's antitrust issues continue with EU regulators determining that Cupertino's near-field communication policies fail to pass anticompetition muster. The European Commission believes that the tech giant should share its NFC APIs with competing wallet apps. Of course, Apple thinks that would be a significant security issue.

On Monday, the European Commission (EC) issued a statement of objections against Apple restricting NFC payment capabilities exclusively to its Apple Pay service. According to the commission, it is an abuse of the company's dominant position and is against European Union (EU) competition laws. The determination comes on the heels of a probe initiated last week looking into the matter.

In a preliminary conclusion, commission executive vice president Margrethe Vestager said some payment services canceled plans for NFC payment functionality because they wouldn't be able to reach iPhone users. The commission believes other payment services should have access to the same functionality as Apple Pay.

Apple Pay is easily the biggest NFC-based mobile wallet on the market. The EC could determine that Apple reached that top position by blocking other apps on iPhone from accessing the technology Apple Pay uses, which would be an illegal abuse of a dominant position. In that case, Apple could face tens of billions of dollars in fines.

The Guardian notes that Apple issued a statement explaining Apple Pay's emphasis is on ease and security for customers. The company contends that allowing third parties to use NFC payments would make iPhones less safe. Apple also claimed it had not blocked other payment services from using NFC but did not offer specifics.

"We designed Apple Pay to provide an easy and secure way for users to digitally present their existing payment cards and for banks and other financial institutions to offer contactless payments for their customers," said the spokesperson. "Apple Pay is only one of many options available to European consumers for making payments and has ensured equal access to NFC while setting industry-leading standards for privacy and security."

Apple has had an ongoing struggle with European regulators. Recently the Authority for Consumers and Markets forced Apple to let Dutch dating apps handle payments outside of Apple's payment processor. The EU is also currently deciding on a law that may force Apple to allow sideloading on its devices.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/94429-eu-accuses-apple-breaking-competition-law-over-apple.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

 

[m4a4]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

Yeah, no. Apple is keeping a key piece of tech (that they did not invent, just to be clear) software locked away from their competitors. With the only real reason being money.

Apple deserves what's coming to them. And the fact that you're even suggesting pulling out of the EU because Apple can't share just shows how much of a fanboy you are.

 

[Beerfloat]

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

Apple is a multinational that funnels its European profits to Ireland.

 

[Kam7r]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

If you want to do business in the EU you follow the EU's laws or you get the fck out...

 

[Puiu]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

No, Apple doesn't have the right to do whatever they want. It's stupid to think otherwise.

 

[Burty117]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

The problem with your point-of-view is to do with the lack of competition. You're so used to basically no competition that you legitimately think only having a single provider for everything is better.

The monopoly ISP's and cell service providers have in America and Canada was mind blowing to me. You are shafted at all times. Competition is good, letting a single large entity control a whole market is definitely bad.

 

[Dimitriid]

If you want to do business in the EU you follow the EU's laws or you get the fck out...

Well, in theory anyway. In practice, they just keep lining up these cases and allow such a stupidly long litigation process or end up in such insignificant fines Apple seems pretty safe ignoring most of them and we know companies in the past like Microsoft also lost the supposedly "Big" antitrust cases in the EU and just paid them and moved on because of both how long the case took and how little the fine mattered to their overall profits by that time.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

If you want to do business in the EU you follow the EU's laws or you get the fck out...

Fine.

We don’t need EU.

Let them buy Androids

 

[Druuu]

Fine.

We don’t need EU.

Let them buy Androids

" Apple posted record sales in Europe during FY 2021, selling goods and services worth 89.3 billion U.S. dollars across the continent. This marks the fourth time that Apple's net sales in Europe have exceeded 60 billion U.S. dollars."

Sure whatever you say.

You want to sell across the EU, you follow EU laws...apples excuses for locking down eveything and making phones unrepairable won't stick, enough is enough.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

" Apple posted record sales in Europe during FY 2021, selling goods and services worth 89.3 billion U.S. dollars across the continent. This marks the fourth time that Apple's net sales in Europe have exceeded 60 billion U.S. dollars."

Sure whatever you say.

You want to sell across the EU, you follow EU laws...apples excuses for locking down eveything and making phones unrepairable won't stick, enough is enough.

I have two words for the EU.

 

[scavengerspc]

I have two words for the EU.

And I have two words for you. BS

 

[Gastec]

Apple has the right to build their devices however they want.

If it comes down to it, I'd stop selling in the EU leaving the EU apple desirees to do whatever it takes to get Apple products from abroad.

This is Murica.

We don't bow to European laws.

Ever.

No, you don't bow, you just troll on TechSpot.