Apple is going to allow third-party app stores in Brazil, too
is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
Apple is set to allow third-party app stores on iOS in Brazil next year after settling with the country’s competition watchdog in a legal battle dating back to 2022, as reported by 9to5Mac.
According to a machine translation of a press release from the Brazilian regulator CADE, it has approved a Term of Commitment to Termination (TCC) made by Apple that obligates the company to allow third-party app stores and let developers use external payment systems. The company will be able to still charge fees under a structure that isn’t detailed in the release. Warnings about third-party app stores and external payment systems must also have neutral wording.
Apple has argued against opening up iOS on the grounds that it could compromise the platform’s security. But regulation in other countries has already forced the company to let users in Europe and Japan install third-party app stores, and in the US, Apple allows for external payment links.
Apple has 105 days to put the changes into place, and if it doesn’t comply with its obligations, it could be subject to a fine of up to R$150 million (about $27 million).
The company shared the following statement with 9to5Mac about the decision:
In order to comply with regulatory demands from CADE, Apple is making changes that will impact iOS apps in Brazil. While these changes will open new privacy and security risks to users, we have worked to maintain protections against some threats, including keeping in place important safeguards for younger users. These safeguards will not eliminate every risk, but they will help ensure that iOS remains the best, most secure mobile platform available in Brazil and we will continue to advocate on behalf of users and developers.
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