In iOS 16 beta 4, Apple finally adds support for Apple Pay in non-Safari browsers like Chrome and Edge, possibly in response to the EU's Digital Markets Act
Not just Safari — Apple Pay could finally be compatible with Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox in iOS 16.
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple Pay’s web checkout began as a Safari-only proposition on iPhone and iPad before extending to Mac Safari through Apple Pay’s initial mobile-web rollout and its Mac Safari launch. The iOS 16 change breaks that browser tie at a moment when Apple Pay’s European expansion had already brought increasing EU regulatory scrutiny.
First-order effects
- iPhone and iPad users running iOS 16 can use Apple Pay on checkout pages in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox rather than switching to Safari.
- Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla gain feature parity with Safari for Apple Pay web payments on iOS, while Apple keeps Apple Pay available across more browsing contexts.
Second-order effects
- Merchants that offer Apple Pay can reach users of additional iOS browsers without making Safari the required path to the wallet checkout.
- Safari loses one practical exclusivity point in iOS web commerce, sharpening browser competition around features beyond payment support.
Third-order effects
- If Apple applies the same interface-neutral approach more broadly, iOS platform features may become less useful as browser-specific advantages and more available as shared system services.
- The reported Digital Markets Act connection makes browser neutrality a likely focal point for how Apple adjusts platform access under European scrutiny.
The trend: Apple is moving selected iOS capabilities from Safari-linked advantages toward browser-neutral access as platform regulation intensifies.