Starting with iOS 18.1, Apple is opening up the NFC chip to third-party developers for contactless payments, IDs, car keys and more.
It’s Official – Apple is Opening up the iPhone NFC Chip and Secure Element to Third-Party Apps and Developers
With the NFC chip is opened up for third-party developers, they will be able to use the Secure Element to store payment information, student IDs, car keys, government IDs and so more much – all separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
Obviously, Apple is not going to allow each and every developer to get in on the action as the company will ask the developer to get into a proper agreement with the company in order to access the NFC chip and Secure Element on iPhone. This way, only those developers who meed industry standards of privacy can make use of this feature.
To incorporate this new solution in their iPhone apps, developers will need to enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the NFC and SE entitlement, and pay the associated fees.
Apple is not starting small at all, and according to the company:
Using the new NFC and SE (Secure Element) APIs, developers will be able to offer in-app contactless transactions for in-store payments, car keys, closed-loop transit, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty and rewards cards, and event tickets, with government IDs to be supported in the future.
You’d think Apple would open up its chip in a very narrow fashion, but it isn’t. They’re going all-in with this. With the inclusion of car keys, Apple really, really plans to take over the industry with this.
I’m glad this is finally happening, because even if you forget your wallet at home, the iPhone is almost always on you. If you ever want to make a payment, scan a transit card, you name it, it’s convenience I can’t describe in words.
