Apple has expanded its Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to the United Arab Emirates, allowing iPhone users in the region to utilize the company's "Tap to Pay" feature. This move marks a significant step in the global expansion of the technology, which had previously been introduced to countries within the European Union and the United States.
Tap to Pay Now Available in the UAE
Apple announced that its Tap to Pay service is now available to businesses and consumers in the UAE. The feature, which was launched earlier this year in countries such as New Zealand, allows merchants to accept payments via their iPhones using NFC-enabled credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, and other supported digital wallets. The service is accessible through partner-enabled iOS apps.
Unlike previous expansions, the availability of Tap to Pay in the UAE does not stem from legal requirements but from strategic partnerships. Apple has partnered with three companies — Adyen, Magnati, and Network International — to enable wireless payments, reducing the need for traditional payment terminals in businesses.
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Using Tap to Pay with NFC Technology
To complete a payment, users in the UAE only need an iPhone X or later device running the latest iOS version. The NFC technology in the iPhone allows for contactless payments, enabling users to pay via NFC-enabled credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Apple Watches, and other digital wallets. The feature eliminates the need for additional hardware, such as traditional payment terminals, making transactions more streamlined and accessible for businesses.
Apple's NFC Technology Expands Accessibility
NFC technology for iPhones has been available since the release of the iPhone 6 series in 2014. However, it wasn't widely used until the 2020s when Apple first beta-tested it for payments at Apple Park. While competitors like Samsung and Google quickly adopted NFC and partnered with various fintech apps, Apple made the technology exclusive to Apple Pay.
This exclusivity led to numerous antitrust lawsuits against Apple, particularly because the Tap to Pay feature was not available to U.S. companies, despite the availability of Apple Pay in the country. Apple faced significant criticism for restricting the feature, and the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) paved the way for third-party services to utilize the technology.
Although NFC technology has been in use for years, enabling contactless payments through cards and other devices on various tap-to-pay platforms, Apple is just beginning to expand its use. This expansion is a welcomed development for regions already supporting NFC payments, particularly with the latest rollout in the UAE, where partners are now able to accept Tap to Pay transactions.
