Apple is facing yet another lawsuit, this time in the form of an antitrust case against Apple Pay. Three credit unions – Consumers Co-op Credit Union, Affinity Credit Union, and GreenState Credit Union – are suing Apple, alleging that the company holds a monopoly on mobile wallets on iPhones and Apple Watches.
The crux of the lawsuit revolves around Apple’s refusal to allow other mobile wallet apps to access the NFC chip on iPhones and Apple Watches. This means that users can only make contactless transactions using Apple Wallet. To enable their cardholders to make contactless payments with iPhones or Apple Watches, financial institutions must sign up for Apple Pay, which comes with transaction fees charged by Cupertino.
It’s worth noting that the European Union has also been investigating this issue as a potential antitrust violation since 2019. Apple’s defense is that physical cards and alternative options like QR codes are available for contactless payments. However, the convenience and lack of payment limits offered by Apple Pay make it an attractive choice for users.
The judge in the case rejected Apple’s motion to dismiss, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. In addition to alleging a monopoly, the complaint states that banks and credit unions using Apple Pay are forced to pay excessive fees totaling at least $1 billion.
It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will unfold, but it is likely to be a lengthy process. Similar cases typically take years to reach a resolution. As for now, we can only speculate on the outcome and await further developments.
