Developers building apps for iPhones will be able to take advantage of Apple’s contactless transactions starting with the upcoming iOS 18.1 release in the fall, the company announced Aug. 14. This means apps could include personalized in-person payments, corporate and other ID badges, rewards cards, and more.
The new feature will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Contactless payments, such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay, have become commonplace for their ease of use, allowing people to tap their phone to make purchases. Similarly, near-field communication identifiers can be used on university or corporate campuses to allow people to access buildings without carrying a physical key or ID. Some of Apple's examples for developers include corporate uses, such as “bank card issuers, car key manufacturers, and public transportation operators.”
This news comes after Apple previously announced it would open up the NFC chip to third-party apps in Europe, complying with the Digital Markets Act. In August, it was reported that Apple Intelligence could be launched on EU Macs, bypassing the Digital Markets Act rules.
NFC is part of the Secure Element platform
How does this work?
Apps that enable tap-to-pay transactions, such as Apple Pay, use Secure Element, a certified chip, to keep transactions secure by storing sensitive information. Developers will have access to NFC and the Secure Element APIs to add, store and present NFC-enabled contactless cards from within their iOS app.
Using NFC will allow developers to create an app that can be used as the phone's default contactless app. Users will also be able to select the app manually. If necessary, the NFC app running in the foreground can prevent the system's default contactless app from being activated.
Apple says Secure Enclave, biometric authentication, and Apple servers combine to provide security for contactless payments. The company also noted that NFC use for government IDs for developers will be supported at an unspecified future date.
How do I use the NFC and SE API?
Developers who want to develop NFC apps will need to have a commercial agreement with Apple. Once they have this, they can apply for NFC and SE authorization, which grants them access to the API on iOS 18.1 and later on iPhone. There is a cost associated with the authorization.
Apple has provided a detailed guide to requesting access to the NFC and SE platform and designing an NFC application on iPhone.
