Chinanews.com, Brussels, December 5 (Reporter De Yongjian) The Hague News: Apple has "one wave after another" in the European market. Following the EU's announcement of an antitrust investigation against Apple Pay in June this year, the Netherlands on the 4th It also announced the launch of an anti-monopoly investigation on mobile payment. Although it did not "name", it was directed at Apple Pay.

Data map: Apple held a press conference.

  According to the announcement issued by the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority on the same day, the investigation will focus on mobile payments and even near field communication technology (NFC), which is widely used in mobile payments. It is suspected that some smartphones reject other payment programs and only allow self-developed payment programs to connect Near field communication technology, so that "may stifle the innovation of payment procedures, reduce the independent choice of consumers and enterprises."

  The announcement stated that the Dutch Consumer and Market Administration had found clues in a market study and decided to conduct further investigations; if it is confirmed that the above practices have indeed reduced the independent choice of mobile phone users, it will impose penalties, such as fines, on the companies involved; otherwise, if If no one violates the rules, the investigation will be terminated.

  The announcement did not disclose the fines standards, nor did it inform which companies were included in the investigation, but after the news of the investigation came out on the 4th, public opinion all pointed out that in view of the EU's announcement of an antitrust investigation against Apple Pay in June this year, the Dutch investigation spearheaded In fact, it refers directly to Apple Pay.

  Similar to the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority’s suspicion, the European Union’s preliminary investigation believes that for Apple mobile devices implanted with near-field communication technology, because users can only use Apple Pay for contactless payments, Apple Pay “may distort competition And reduce choice and innovation", and Apple may also restrict users from using Apple Pay to purchase specific products from competitors.

  Later on the 4th, Apple stated that it would not comment on the antitrust investigation initiated by the Netherlands. It only stated that Apple Pay was designed to provide a simple and secure payment method for Apple users to choose. "Competition", hoping to cooperate with banks, merchants and financial technology companies to "become the best payment option for consumers and businesses in the Netherlands."

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