Brussels, October 6 (Reuters) – Apple (AP) is suing the European Union (EU) over its NFC chip technology. To unlock the mobile payment system for competitors.
The iPhone maker has been at the intersection of EU anti-Semitism chief Margete Vestag since launching an investigation into Apple Pay in June last year.
Prerequisites were the Apple NFC chip that tapped and went on iPhones, Apple’s mobile payment service, how Apple payments should be used in merchants’ apps and websites, and the company’s refusal to allow its competitors to access the payment system. .
Since then, the European Commission has focused on the NFC chip, with only Apple payments, sources said.
The European Union (EU) is preparing a bill, which could be sent to Apple next year, sources said. Such documents list practices that are commonly considered anti-competitive by the regulator.
The commission, which has three other issues with Apple, declined to comment. It could face up to 10% of its global fines for violating European law, which could cost up to $ 27.4 billion on Apple 2020 revenues.
The Apple logo will be displayed at the Apple Store on October 23, 2020 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. REUTERS / Brendan McDermid / File Photo
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Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Apple’s payment policy.
Apple shares fell 1% in the first quarter of $ 139.6 billion
NFC-enabled payments have grown in popularity due in part to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to some analysts, Apple Pay’s wide reach and superior customer experience on a mobile website or in-store give it a competitive edge.
Apple Pay is on the radar of other regulators and officials. Last month, South Korea passed a law banning major app store operators, including Apple, from forcing software developers to use their payment systems.
Germany In 2019, Apple introduced a law requiring its mobile payment system to be open to competitors.
That same year, the Dutch Competition Supervisor launched an app in-app search and app that required app developers to use their in-app purchases and pay 30% off the first year.
Report by Foo Yun Chee; Edited by Jason Nellie and Jan Harvey
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