Starting with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to integrate NFC contactless transactions directly into their apps on iPhones, independent of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, announced Apple on Wednesday.
This new functionality, enabled by the Secure Element (SE) APIs, allows for in-app contactless transactions across various uses, such as in-store payments, car keys, transit passes, corporate and student IDs, and more. Future support for government IDs is also planned.
Apple’s Secure Element is a certified chip designed to securely store sensitive information on the device. Apple has incorporated several security measures, including the Secure Enclave and biometric authentication, to make sure that these transactions are secure and protect user privacy.
Developers interested in utilizing this feature will need to enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the necessary NFC and SE entitlement, and pay associated fees.
NFC transactions require an iPhone XS or newer, running iOS 18.1 or later. Apple says developers will be able to use NFC on iPhone for the following use cases:
Initially, these APIs will be available to developers in select countries—including Canada—alongside the U.S., U.K., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, with further expansion planned.
The news comes after Apple settled an EU antitrust probe this summer, agreeing to open up its NFC payments on iPhone to other mobile wallets.
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does this mean we can add Tesla keys to the iPhone NFC? (the Tesla cars without UWB keys)
What bad news… I agree competition does and will help with many things. But I definitely don’t want the banks to have this control back. One wallet only is the way I’d prefer, and now banks might force us to use their app.