Apple is going to revolutionize in-app payments by adding a new NFC API for iOS apps. With iOS 18.1, now developers will be able to add contactless NFC transactions natively inside their apps, circumventing Apple Pay and Wallet. It will empower developers to bring an entire collection of contactless transactions into the palm of users’ hands, such as in-store payments, car keys, corporate access, identity cards, house keys, hotel keys, loyalty cards, reward programs, and event tickets.
Extending In-App Purchase
The new APIs for NFC and Secure Element expose a large pool of opportunities to the developer. They can create seamless experiences, across domains, for the user with this integration. However, to put this solution in place, developers must contract a commercial agreement with Apple at the very beginning. This includes requesting access to NFC and SE rights and the fees that need to be paid.
Availability Across Multiple Regions
Apple will make the new NFC and SE APIs available to developers in various regions such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. As a result, Apple will ensure that, with this kind of exposure to different regions, there will be worldwide adoption of this new functionality—ultimately offering improved in-app payment experience for users globally.
It’s big, with Apple allowing access to iPhone apps to tap-to-pay functionality. Developers are now wielding more power and flexibility than ever, enabling them to come up with solutions that would certainly turn out innovative for the divergent needs of users. The ease and speed of mobile transactions usher in a new frontier.
