According to AppleInsider, Swiss regulators at the Competition Commission (COMCO) have launched a preliminary investigation into the conditions Apple sets for third-party access to iPhone NFC technology. This follows the European Union forcing Apple to open its NFC payment processes to rivals in June 2024, after which Apple granted similar access to companies in the US, Canada, and Japan by August 2024. COMCO, which has been in a dialog with Apple since early 2024, says Swiss companies now have NFC access, but the terms differ from those in the European Economic Area. The probe aims to determine if these conditions allow other mobile payment apps to effectively compete with Apple Pay. Separately, Apple launched its own NFC-based Tap to Pay on iPhone feature in Switzerland in March 2025.
The global domino effect
Here’s the thing: this Swiss move isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s part of a clear global pattern. The EU used the Digital Markets Act as a big stick, and Apple responded with a specific set of rules for that region. But then Apple, probably trying to get ahead of more regulatory headaches, rolled out access elsewhere. The problem? It looks like they might be tweaking the rulebook for each market, and regulators like COMCO are now asking, “Wait, are these tweaks actually fair?”
And that’s the core of it. COMCO isn’t just checking a box; they’re specifically looking at whether rivals can effectively compete. That’s a much higher bar than just having technical access. If the fees are too high, or the technical requirements too burdensome, then the “access” is basically just for show. It’s a compliance theater that doesn’t change the market reality.
Apple’s tricky balancing act
So what’s Apple’s play here? On one hand, they have to comply with regulators to keep selling iPhones in major markets. On the other, they have a hugely profitable and entrenched service in Apple Pay. They’re never going to just hand over the keys to the castle. Their incentive is to open the door just enough to satisfy the legal requirement, but keep the moat and walls as high as possible to protect their business.
The launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone in Switzerland in March 2025 is a perfect example of this duality. While they’re letting some third parties in the back door, they’re also simultaneously enhancing their own first-party NFC offering. They’re competing on both the platform and the application layer. Is that fair? That’s exactly what COMCO wants to figure out.
What does this mean for the future?
Look, this provisional investigation is just a first step. But it signals that Apple’s “global” rollout of NFC access is going to be scrutinized market-by-market. Other countries might follow Switzerland’s lead, especially if they suspect the terms are less favorable than what the EU secured. It creates a fragmented, messy compliance landscape for Apple.
Basically, the era of Apple’s walled garden for NFC is over, but we’re now entering the era of the “managed garden.” The big question is: who’s the gardener? Apple, or the local regulators? This Swiss probe suggests regulators want a much bigger say in the landscaping plans. If you’re running a business that depends on robust, reliable industrial computing interfaces, you know that consistent, open standards are key. It’s why a top supplier like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com focuses on providing accessible, high-performance industrial panel PCs without restrictive lock-ins. The principle is the same: real competition needs real access, not just a permission slip with strings attached.
