Apple says it doesn’t block rivals’ access to its mobile wallet tech

Apple will try will seek to convince European Union (EU) antitrust regulators that it doesn’t block rivals’ access to its technology used for mobile wallets at a closed hearing today, reports Reuters, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.

The article says this is the last chance for the tech giant to do so before possible hefty fines.The hearing —  which senior European Commission and national competition officials, Apple executives and complainants will attend — comes nine months after the EU competition watchdog accused the company of abusing its market power.

By limiting access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with mobile devices in stores (“Near-Field Communication (NFC)” or “tap and go”), Apple “restricts competition in the mobile wallets market on iOS,” according to the EU.

The organization says it takes issue with the decision by Apple to prevent mobile wallets app developers, from accessing the necessary hardware and software (“NFC input”) on its devices, to the benefit of its own solution, Apple Pay.  

“Mobile payments play a rapidly growing role in our digital economy. It is important for the integration of European Payments markets that consumers benefit from a competitive and innovative payments landscape,” says EU Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager. “We have indications that Apple restricted third-party access to key technology necessary to develop rival mobile wallet solutions on Apple’s devices. In our Statement of Objections, we preliminarily found that Apple may have restricted competition, to the benefit of its own solution Apple Pay. If confirmed, such a conduct would be illegal under our competition rules.”