iOS 17.4 came out last month with huge changes for iPhone owners in the European Union, including the ability to use third-party app stores and pay for apps and services outside of the Apple App Store.
This was made possible by force – meaning that the European Digital Markets Act made Apple allow these things, which otherwise would never have happened. A similar issue for third parties is the 'walled garden' issue, so far the ability to pay for goods using the iPhone's NFC function, which the company limits to its own service, Apple Pay. But this will change in the European Union, probably in the next month.
The European Commission (EC) is set to agree to Apple's offer to allow contactless payments with third-party mobile wallets, “people familiar with the matter” told Reuters. Apple's offer was prompted by a four-year investigation in January.
If the EC approves the plan, Apple will avoid a finding of wrongdoing and thus a hefty fine that could amount to 10% of the company's annual global turnover. Apple was fined 1.84 billion euros last month for hindering competition from Spotify and other rivals through App Store bans, the first-ever EU antitrust fine. Apple obviously wants it to be the last.