Starting with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to offer NFC contactless transactions using Secure Element from within their own apps on iPhone, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. With new NFC and SE (Secure Element) APIs, developers will be able to offer in-app contactless transactions for in-store payments, car keys, closed-loop transportation, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty and rewards cards, event tickets, and more, with support for government-issued IDs coming in the future.
To incorporate this new solution into their iPhone apps, developers must enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, apply for NFC and SE rights, and pay the associated fees. This ensures that only certified developers who meet certain industry and regulatory requirements and adhere to Apple's ongoing security and privacy standards can access the associated APIs. The NFC and SE APIs will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US in an upcoming developer seed of iOS 18.1, with additional regions to follow. Developers and users will continue to have access to the simple, secure, and private experience of Apple Pay and Wallet.