Apple could be facing a new antitrust charge from the European Union over the way it handles mobile payments on the iPhone.
Sources speaking to Reuters claim the European Union’s antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager is preparing to take on the tech giant.
Concerns were raised over the Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip inside iPhones which can only be accessed by Apple Pay to facilitate tap-and-go payments.
The technology is closely guarded by Apple, which doesn’t let other companies use the payment system.
Reuters reported: ‘The EU competition enforcer is now preparing a charge sheet known as a statement of objections, which could be sent to Apple next year, one of the sources said. Such documents typically set out practices considered anti-competitive by the regulator.
‘The Commission declined to comment. Apple, which has cited privacy and safety issues for its policy on Apple Pay, was not immediately available for comment.’
If the charge is brought against the tech giant, it could result in a large fine and the possibility of being forced to open up its mobile payment system to rivals.
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