[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"branding":3,"analytics":7,"article-uk-regulator-wants-cheaper-iphone-tap-to-pay-access-for-rivals":10,"sections":44},{"siteName":4,"siteTagline":5,"publisherName":4,"contactEmail":6},"The Revision","Tech news, decoded.","editor@therevision.news",{"gaMeasurementId":8,"adsenseClientId":9},"G-ZW2MV82GYR","ca-pub-8533917693782264",{"article":11},{"id":12,"slug":13,"title":14,"dek":15,"body_md":16,"tags_json":17,"published_at":18,"created_at":19,"updated_at":20,"status":21,"review_note":22,"review_notes":23,"image_url":22,"persona_id":22,"persona_name":22,"section":30,"tags":31,"sources":36,"feedback":43,"feedback_at":22,"cost_usd":43,"total_tokens":43},11982,"uk-regulator-wants-cheaper-iphone-tap-to-pay-access-for-rivals","UK Regulator Wants Cheaper iPhone Tap-to-Pay Access for Rivals","The CMA wants lower fees and a second route to the iPhone's tap-to-pay system; Apple says that route has weaker privacy and security protections.","The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed changes meant to make it easier and cheaper for companies to build Apple Pay alternatives on the iPhone.\n\nThe regulator says Apple's fees and restrictions make it too hard for rivals to launch contactless payment apps. The proposals would widen access to the iPhone's NFC (near-field communication) technology, the short-range radio that lets you pay by holding a phone near a terminal.\n\nApple opened NFC access to UK developers in 2024, but with conditions. Companies must sign an agreement with Apple and pay fees. They must also use the Secure Element, a dedicated chip that stores sensitive data such as payment credentials. The CMA wants Apple to support host card emulation (HCE) as well, a method that lets payment apps work without the Secure Element. It also proposes rules it expects would substantially lower Apple's access fees, though Apple could still charge something.\n\nThe CMA points to the EU as a comparison. Apple offers HCE access there under commitments agreed in 2024, and rival payment apps have since launched. Under Apple's current terms in the UK, no competing wallet-type product has launched.\n\nApple said developers can already offer contactless services using its technology. \"We do not believe the CMA should require Apple to adopt an approach with lower privacy and security protections,\" the company said, adding that it will keep engaging to reach an outcome in its users' interest.\n\nThe EU comparison is suggestive rather than conclusive, since two markets and two sets of terms are not a controlled experiment. Still, it is the CMA's strongest evidence that the technical route matters as much as the price. The fee cut looks like the negotiable half of the package. HCE is the part Apple has already objected to, and it is where the dispute will be decided.","[\"apple-pay\",\"nfc\",\"cma\",\"antitrust\"]","2026-10-21T04:57:09.000Z","2026-10-21T05:03:53.919Z","2026-10-21T05:03:54.145Z","published",null,[24],{"id":25,"reviewer":26,"round":27,"reason":28,"status":29},"editor-r1","editor",1,"Remove the leftover drafting notes (\"The source gives no figure,\" \"the source does not say why no UK rival has launched\"), which are banned; also fix the unsupported claim that HCE is \"free\" in the EU in 2024 as a side-by-side proof (say it is offered under 2024 commitments), drop the invented \"something\" framing in the closing, and end with a real conclusion rather than a rhetorical hedge.","resolved","policy",[32,33,34,35],"apple-pay","nfc","cma","antitrust",[37,40],{"name":38,"url":39},"MacRumors","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.macrumors.com\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F21\u002Fuk-proposes-to-help-apple-pay-rivals\u002F",{"name":41,"url":42},"TechRadar","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.techradar.com\u002Fcomputing\u002Fpayment-services\u002Fapple-pay-faces-uk-contactless-crackdown-new-rules-could-change-iphone-tap-to-pay-and-pave-the-way-for-nfc-rivals",0,{"sections":45},[46,51,56,60,65,70,75,80,85,90,95,100,105,110],{"name":47,"slug":48,"count":49,"latest_published_at":50},"AI","ai",7057,"2026-10-21T21:30:02.000Z",{"name":52,"slug":53,"count":54,"latest_published_at":55},"Security","security",1032,"2026-10-21T18:26:38.000Z",{"name":57,"slug":30,"count":58,"latest_published_at":59},"Policy",566,"2026-10-22T01:52:03.000Z",{"name":61,"slug":62,"count":63,"latest_published_at":64},"Deals","deals",551,"2026-10-21T23:00:00.000Z",{"name":66,"slug":67,"count":68,"latest_published_at":69},"Hardware","hardware",282,"2026-10-21T15:51:59.000Z",{"name":71,"slug":72,"count":73,"latest_published_at":74},"Consumer Tech","consumer-tech",277,"2026-10-22T06:23:10.000Z",{"name":76,"slug":77,"count":78,"latest_published_at":79},"Science","science",212,"2026-10-21T22:13:50.000Z",{"name":81,"slug":82,"count":83,"latest_published_at":84},"Startups","startups",140,"2026-10-21T18:51:56.000Z",{"name":86,"slug":87,"count":88,"latest_published_at":89},"Software","software",138,"2026-10-22T04:52:10.000Z",{"name":91,"slug":92,"count":93,"latest_published_at":94},"Dev Tools","dev-tools",122,"2026-10-21T16:00:00.000Z",{"name":96,"slug":97,"count":98,"latest_published_at":99},"General","general",94,"2026-10-21T18:31:15.000Z",{"name":101,"slug":102,"count":103,"latest_published_at":104},"Gaming","gaming",85,"2026-10-21T18:39:52.000Z",{"name":106,"slug":107,"count":108,"latest_published_at":109},"Reviews","reviews",38,"2026-10-20T12:00:00.000Z",{"name":111,"slug":112,"count":113,"latest_published_at":114},"How-To","how-to",8,"2026-10-05T09:00:00.000Z"]