iOS 18.1: Will Apple iPhone support Samsung Pay, Google Wallet?

Apple opened doors for Samsung Pay and Google Wallet for iPhone. Yesterday, the company announced that app developers will be able to bring NFC contactless transactions using the Secure Element from within their apps on iPhone.

European Union forced Apple to open up various things in its ecosystem. As a result, Samsung Pay and Google Wallet apps might be supported on iPhone. Both apps will likely be available on Apple’s App Store as early as the fourth quarter.

Apple confirmed that starting with iOS 18.1, it will allow NFC contactless payments for apps that meet security requirements separately from Apple Pay. Third-party devs can run apps that use NFC for simple payment, car keys, and student IDs on iPhones.

“Starting with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to offer NFC contactless transactions using the Secure Element from within their own apps on iPhone, separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet,” Apple announced.

Now, Samsung Pay and Google Wallet could also work on iPhones. Apple plans to release iOS 18 along with the new iPhone 16 next month. The first update version, iOS 18.1, is expected to be released in October at the earliest.

Until now, Apple has only allowed Apple Pay on its devices. The company mentioned that only authorized developers who meet certain industry and regulatory requirements and commit to Apple’s ongoing security and privacy standards, can access the relevant APIs.

In addition, the NFC and SE APIs that are the most needed components will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. in an upcoming developer seed for iOS 18.1.