Express Mode when Apple Wallet it's not the default wallet.

Question

Created Feb ’25

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We are currently developing a wallet solution that uses the iOS EEA HCE API’s, during the testing of enabling our wallet as the system default wallet, we are being presented with an iOS system alert that states:

“Change the default contactless app? You can double-click to use cards in your default app. If Apple Wallet is not your default wallet app, you’ll need to open Wallet to use its cards, keys and tickets. Express Mode will continue to work when iphone is held near a compatible reader”

Please can you advise how we can prevent Apple Pay’s express mode from intercepting the customers preferred wallet actions including transit payments. If this is not possible please can you provide the rationale for this not being possible given the Digital Marketing Act interoperability guidelines and EU Commitments in case AT.40452.

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Answer 1

Engineer OP

Apple

Feb ’25

If a (NFC) terminal, such as a transit terminal, is specifically requesting an express mode credential and there is a matching express mode capable credential on the device and the user has enabled express mode for that matching credential, then the device will present that credential to the terminal.

Otherwise, if a transit terminal is not explicitly requesting an express mode credential, or express mode is not supported on the terminal or the user has not enabled express mode for that matching credential, then the default contactless app/preferred wallet will be invoked.

However, if a default contactless app/preferred wallet (e.g. your app) is in the foreground and the foregrounded app has requested Presentment Intent Assertion, then express mode will be suppressed and the express mode enabled credential will not be presented to the terminal. The foregrounded app will have the opportunity to present its credential to the terminal using HCE.

Apple Pay or Apple Wallet will not intercept any payment transaction from the app.

Argun Tekant /  DTS Engineer / Core Technologies

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Answer 2

curve OP

3w

Please can you confirm that our understanding of your feedback, as set out below, is correct.

If our wallet app is in the foreground at the time that the device is presented to the transit terminal, then our app can control the HCE payment. Express mode will not be invoked even if it is enabled on the device.

If our wallet app is not in the foreground and the transit terminal makes an express mode request, and the device has the express mode feature enabled this will always be the default payment method.

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