Apple still makes it too hard for Apple Pay competitors to emerge, says UK watchdog

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has stated that Apple continues to make it overly difficult for third-party developers to launch alternative payment solutions to Apple Pay.

Despite loosening some restrictions regarding access to the NFC chip embedded in iPhones, developers report that the compromise terms offered by Apple are still impractical for building competitive services.

Regulators and industry critics argue that Apple's tight grip on its ecosystem prevents fair competition and limits consumer choice in the mobile payments sector.

Antitrust scrutiny over major tech platforms remains high as authorities worldwide push for fairer access to hardware and software features.

For the broader tech and fintech industries, ensuring open platform access is crucial for fostering innovation and new alternatives for users globally.