10 years later, Apple Pay is amazing — and about to change

Apple Pay was launched in 2014 and has become ubiquitous, with 55.8 million Americans using it in April 2023. It's one of Apple's most Apple-y products, showcasing the power of integration and the company's influence in the tech industry. However, Apple Pay has been criticized for its closed nature, with developers unable to access tap-to-pay features and users forced to use Apple Wallet. This has led to accusations of Apple prioritizing processing fees and platform lock-in over user experience and security. The US government has even named Apple Pay as a key part of its antitrust case against Apple. But with the release of iOS 18.1, Apple is opening up NFC access to third-party developers, allowing them to enable tap-to-pay transactions in their own apps. This could lead to a world where tap-to-pay becomes tap-to-everything, with NFC chips being used for more than just payments. Banks and fintech companies might add tap-to-pay to their apps, and NFC could become as essential as GPS or the camera. However, there are concerns that opening up the system could lead to a fragmented experience, with users having to manage multiple apps for different payment options. There are also worries about security flaws and data collection. The future of Apple Pay will be a test case for Apple's approach to control and openness, as the company faces pressure to change its App Store rules and allow users to choose their own defaults.