LONDON: The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, said that it’s accepting the commitments that Apple offered earlier this year and will make them legally binding.
The commission had accused Apple in 2022 of abusing its dominant position by limiting access to its mobile payment technology.
Apple responded by proposing in January to allow third-party mobile wallet and payment service providers access to the contactless payment function in its iOS operating system. After Apple tweaked its proposals following testing and feedback, the commission said those “final commitments” would address its competition concerns.
“Today’s commitments end our Apple Pay investigation,” Margrethe Vestager, the commission’s executive vice president for competition policy, told a press briefing in Brussels. “The commitments bring important changes to how Apple operates in Europe to the benefit of competitors and customers.”
The deal promises more choice for Europeans. iPhone users will be able to set a default wallet of their choice while mobile wallet developers will be able to use important iPhone verification functions like Face ID, Vestager said.
Mobile wallets rely on near-field communication, or NFC, which uses a chip to wirelessly communicate with a merchant’s payment terminal.
The commission had charged the company with denying others access to Apple Pay, which it said is the biggest NFC-based mobile wallet on the market.
The changes that Apple is making are to remain in force for a decade, will apply throughout the bloc’s 27 countries plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, and will be monitored by a trustee.
Apple must make the changes in the EU by July 25.
“As of this date, developers will be able to offer a mobile wallet on the iPhone with the same “tap and go” experience that so far has been reserved for Apple Pay,” Vestager said.
Apple said in a prepared statement that it is “providing developers in the European Economic Area with an option to enable NFC contactless payments and contactless transactions” for uses like car keys, corporate badges, hotel keys, and concert tickets.
Breaches of EU competition law can draw fines worth up to 10 percent of a company’s annual global revenue, which in Apple’s case, could have amounted to tens of billions of dollars.
EU accepts Apple pledge to let rivals access ‘tap to pay’ iPhone tech to resolve antitrust case
https://arab.news/ngycd
EU accepts Apple pledge to let rivals access ‘tap to pay’ iPhone tech to resolve antitrust case
- The commission had accused Apple in 2022 of abusing its dominant position by limiting access to its mobile payment technology
- The commission had charged the company with denying others access to Apple Pay
DCO and Arab News partner to combat digital misinformation, explore AI’s impact on media
KUWAIT CITY: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the international Saudi newspaper Arab News have signed a Letter of Engagement aimed at strengthening knowledge and expertise exchange on the impact of artificial intelligence in the media sector, as well as leveraging expert insights to develop best practices to combat online misinformation amid accelerating technological advancements.
DCO said this step aligned with its efforts to strengthen collaboration with international media institutions to support responsible dialogue around digital transformation and contribute to building a more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable digital media environment.
Commenting on the agreement, Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization, said: “At a moment when AI is reshaping how truth is produced, distributed, and trusted, partnership with credible media institutions is essential.”
She added that “working with Arab News allows us to bridge technology and journalism in a way that protects integrity, strengthens public trust, and elevates responsible innovation. This collaboration is about equipping media ecosystems with the tools, insight, and ethical grounding needed to navigate AI’s impact, while ensuring digital transformation serves people and their prosperity.”
Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, emphasized that the partnership enhances media institutions’ ability to keep pace with technological shifts, noting that engagement with representatives of DCO Member States enables deeper understanding of emerging technologies and regulatory developments in the digital space.
He added: “DCO’s commitment to initiatives addressing online content integrity reflects a clear dedication to supporting a responsible digital environment that serves societies and strengthens trust in the digital ecosystem.”
The Letter of agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Fifth DCO General Assembly held in Kuwait City under the theme “Inclusive Prosperity in the Age of AI”, alongside the second edition of the International Digital Cooperation Forum, held from 4–5 February, which brought together ministers, policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society representatives from more than 60 countries to strengthen international cooperation toward a human-centric, inclusive, and sustainable digital economy.
