Following the European Union’s mandate for Apple to implement significant adjustments to the iOS and App Store experience for users in Europe, other nations have begun their own antitrust investigations against the company. Recently, a Brazilian court determined that Apple has 90 days to permit sideloading on iOS for iPhone users in Brazil.
Apple may be required to allow sideloading for iOS users in Brazil
According to the Brazilian newspaper Valor Econômico (via O Globo), a federal judge in Brazil ruled on Wednesday that Apple must open the iOS platform to third-party applications in Brazil, mirroring the company’s actions in the EU. The judge indicated that the “restrictions” placed on developers by the company could hinder the entry of new competitors into the market.
In November 2024, Brazil’s antitrust authority, “Cade,” declared that Apple could no longer stop developers from selling content and distributing applications outside the App Store in Brazil. The company was given 20 days to comply with Brazilian antitrust laws, with the threat of a fine exceeding $40,000 per day if they failed to do so.
Unsurprisingly, Apple contested this ruling, and a judge determined that the injunction was unnecessary, providing the company additional time to discuss the matter. At that time, Apple asserted that the demand for changes to the App Store was not urgent and that it could adversely affect the company’s operations. Last month, Apple participated in a public hearing in Brazil regarding this issue.
Now, Judge Pablo Zuniga has mandated that Apple implement the necessary adjustments in Brazil within the next three months. The judge noted that despite Apple’s assertions, the company “has already adhered to similar requirements in other nations, without demonstrating significant adverse effects or irreparable harm to its business model.”
The antitrust inquiry into Apple was initiated after the Latin American e-commerce giant Mercado Libre accused Apple of compelling developers, who provide digital goods or services in their applications, to utilize Apple’s payment infrastructure. Other firms, including Match, the parent company of Tinder, and Epic Games, have also lodged complaints against Apple with the Brazilian antitrust authority.
An Apple representative told Valor Econômico that the company “believes in vibrant and competitive markets” and maintains that it “faces competition in all sectors and jurisdictions” in which it operates, emphasizing its dedication to its users. Apple expressed concern that these changes could “undermine the privacy and security” of iOS users, and has announced its intention to appeal the ruling.
