EU antitrust authorities charged Apple on Monday for limiting competitors use of its NFC chip technology. The move could lead to a significant penalty to the iPhone maker, as well as forcing it to let its mobile payment system to other competitors.
The European Commission said it had issued a charge sheet, also known as an expression of protests to Apple that detailed how the company had used its position as the market leader for mobile wallets that run on iOS devices.
“We have proof that Apple blocked third-party access to the technology that is essential to create competing mobile wallet solutions for the Apple devices” EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
“In our objection statement we have concluded that Apple could have limited competition, in favor of its own product Apple Pay,” she stated.
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Apple announced that it would remain in contact on behalf of the Commission.
“Apple Pay is only one of the many options available to European consumers to pay and has provided the same accessibility to NFC while creating industry-leading standards in confidentiality and safety,” it said in an announcement.
The Commission’s decision to issue the charge sheet, also known as an objection statement to Apple was confirmed by an Reuters report in October of this year.
