Apple Inc. has confirmed that the Near Field Communication (NFC) chip found in the new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch will be used exclusively for Apple Pay. The decision means iPhone users and developers alike won’t be able to take advantage of the additional features and capabilities of NFC technology.

This isn’t the first time Apple has locked out third party developers from new iPhone hardware features. When the iPhone 5S was unveiled, many iOS app developers were disappointed to learn that they wouldn’t have access to the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. But there’s still hope.  After a year of fingerprint scanning exclusivity, Apple released iOS 8, which finally provides Touch ID developer support. Here are several reasons Apple should consider opening up NFC sooner, rather than later.

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3 reasons Apple should unlock NFC beyond Apple Pay

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1) It doesn’t make sense to handicap the iPhone.

Near Field Communication, otherwise known as NFC, can do much more than facilitate secure payments. Producing a flagship phone with an NFC chip that does nothing but Apple Pay doesn’t sound all that controversial, but imagine if Apple had released an iPhone with GPS that only worked with Apple Maps, and that only told you where you were located. If you wanted to search for other locations, and perhaps request navigation instructions, you’d have to buy an Android phone.

As preposterous as that sounds, it’s exactly what Apple is doing with NFC. It only works with Apple Pay, which uses its transaction capabilities. The sharing and pairing functionality won’t be utilized. One example that highlights why this is such a nonsensical approach is the inability of the iPhone 6 to work with Apple’s own Beats Portable Wireless NFC speakers.

A Samsung Galaxy S5 owner, on the other hand, could simply tap the phone to the speaker, and through the magic of NFC pairing, instantly connect for audio streaming. The iPhone 6 could do the same thing, but that feature is locked away for no logical reason, other than Apple likes to have first dibs.

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2) It doesn’t make sense not to take advantage of critical mass.

iPhone 6 with Apple Pay for Chase Bank

Apple has a demonstrated ability to move mountains. The music industry gave Apple the keys to the kingdom in order to be included in the iTunes Music Store. The television and film industries jumped at the chance to get in front of the iPhone user base, even though they weren’t always thrilled with the terms. The banking industry made unprecedented concessions to partner with Apple on Apple Pay.

Were Apple to open up the NFC capabilities of the iPhone, it could help propel NFC technology into a mainstream technology with widespread usage. For example, Cinemark Holdings Inc. might install NFC tags at the entrances to all of their theaters, allowing iPhone, and other NFC equipped phones, to tap it on the way in and automatically turn their phones to silent. That quick tap could simultaneously award points to a loyalty program, and provide a coupon for discounted popcorn. Retail stores might provide NFC tags for simplified bridal and baby gift registration. The Department of Motor Vehicles might let people tap an NFC tag and begin filling out forms on their phones to help expedite the painful experience of visiting a DMV office.

Apple has the ability to provide an incentive for innovation. All they have to do is unlock it.

3) It doesn’t make sense to hold out on third party developers.

Apple’s single strongest advantage in the smartphone wars is its developer community. Apple makes an excellent phone, but it could be argued that there are better phones on the market. It’s indisputable, however, that the Apple App Store is the most robust of all the app stores, with the highest caliber apps, and the most sought after app exclusives.

Apple’s success must be, in large part, attributed to the talented app developers who make the Apple app ecosystem such a thriving marketplace. What reason is there to hold out on them? If an app developer comes up with an idea for the next greatest app, and it utilizes NFC, which is technically possible on the iPhone, but infeasible due to Apple’s arbitrary rule, what message does that send? Why push developers to Android, where they can take advantage of a number of best-selling phones that provide complete third party developer support the same day new hardware features are available? Samsung Mobile, for example, provides developer support for its fingerprint scanner, its NFC chip, and its brand new curved side display for the Galaxy Note Edge. It’s a developer-first mentality that Apple would be wise to adopt.

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