Apple

Apple Avoids Sideloading Mandate in Brazil – For Now

Germany: Apple lost an antitrust appeal and could face new App Store rules.
USA: A court denied Apple's request to be involved in a Google Search antitrust case.
China: Considering an antitrust investigation into Apple, possibly as leverage in trade negotiations.

Apple scores a temporary win as a Brazilian judge rules the company doesn’t have to enable sideloading on iOS, despite earlier court orders pushing for it.

8 months ago

Apple Avoids Sideloading Requirement in Brazil for Now A Brazilian Federal Civil Court judge has ruled that Apple does not have to enable sideloading on iOS devices in Brazil, at least temporarily. This decision reverses an earlier ruling from November 2023 by the Brazilian antitrust regulator Cade, which had mandated that Apple allow app distribution outside the App Store within 20 days. The company appealed, and a subsequent court order gave it 90 days to comply, citing concerns about new competitors entering the market and the precedent set by similar changes in the EU.

Apple has been arguing that enabling sideloading would compromise user privacy and security. While this latest ruling is a win for Apple, it is not a final victory, as the Brazilian regulator can still appeal. The decision also affects Epic Games, which had planned to launch Fortnite on iOS in Brazil in July 2024.