Regulatory action will force Apple to allow alternative app stores, third-party payment systems for in-app purchases, and in-app links to external offers on iOS in Brazil by early April, according to legal news website MLex and Brazilian blog Tecnoblog.
iPhone users in Brazil will gain access to app and payment options options beyond Apple’s App Store. The changes must be in place within 105 days, meaning Apple has until early April to roll them out, possibly with the release of iOS 26.4.
Alternative app stores and third-party payment systems on iOS are already available in the EU, Japan, and South Korea. We will also likely see them being implemented in the future in the UK and Australia, due to similar regulations across those regions.
While Apple has opposed alternative app stores due to privacy and security concerns, a growing number of countries and regions are working to force Apple to allow them.
Apple’s official stance on alternative app distribution is: “If you prefer using apps that have met all of Apple’s App Review Guidelines, including Apple’s standards for privacy, security, and quality, you can use the App Store.”
(Via MacRumors)
