Apple NFC Feature Faces Antitrust Fine Risk

Photo by Reuters

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The European Union (EU) is expected to impose a hefty fine on Apple for alleged violations of antitrust laws related to Near Field Communication (NFC) functionality, according to major foreign media reports on the 6th (local time).

According to reports, Margrethe Vestager, the EU Commissioner for Competition Policy, launched an official investigation into Apple's mobile payment service 'Apple Pay' for antitrust violations in June last year.

The investigation targets the NFC function that restricts payments exclusively to Apple Pay, the terms of use of Apple Pay on merchant apps and websites, and the refusal to allow competitors access to Apple Pay.

Sources said the investigation focused on Apple's restriction of NFC functionality on iPhones and Apple Watches, preventing other banks and financial institutions from accessing the service.

The EU authorities are currently drafting a statement of objections regarding Apple's anti-competitive behavior, which is expected to be sent to Apple by next year at the latest, according to the sources.

Under relevant legislation, the EU can impose fines of up to 10% of annual global revenue if antitrust violations are confirmed.

Based on Apple's global revenue of $27.4 billion (approximately 33 trillion won) last year, the expected fine could reach about $2.7 billion.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.