Tech Desk
Aug 15, 2024
Apple is set to expand the reach of Near-field communication (NFC) to third-party apps on the iPhone with the release of iOS 18.1 beta for developers.
The company introduced NFC on the iPhone with its initial models; however, it was only available for services like Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
By extending NFC’s access to third-party apps, the iPhone maker allows developers to offer contactless transactions from their apps rather than Apple’s transaction apps.
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NFC will also enable users to create apps for several different tasks and transactions such as in-store payments, car keys, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, and rewards cards. It will also support government IDs.
Moreover, the new NFC access will also take advantage of the Secure Element, a chip designed to store and protect sensitive data. It will use Face ID or Touch ID for authentication and communication with Apple servers.
In this way, users will be able to initiate the process either by directly opening the NFC-supported app or by setting a specific app as the default contactless option by simply double-clicking the side button to start the transaction process.
Currently, NFC for third-party apps will launch for developers in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand while other regions will be added shortly.
It is important to note that developers who want NFC’s access must sign a commercial agreement with Apple and pay the required fees.
