Brazil forces Apple to open iOS’ App Store after three-year legal battle

Apple has agreed to permit alternative app stores and external payment systems on iOS devices in Brazil, settling a three-year antitrust investigation with the country's competition watchdog CADE. The tech giant has 105 days to implement the changes, with potential fines reaching $27 million for non-compliance.The settlement requires Apple to allow third-party app distribution channels, enable developers to link to external payment options, and permit alternative payment methods alongside Apple's in-app purchase system. Apple must also ensure all user-facing warnings about these options use neutral, objective language that doesn't hinder the user experience.The investigation began in 2022 when Latin American e-commerce giant MercadoLibre filed a complaint challenging Apple's App Store restrictions, including mandatory use of Apple's payment processing and limitations on app distribution methods.Brazil now joins the European Union, Japan, and South Korea as jurisdictions where Apple has been compelled to open iOS to alternative app marketplaces. Similar regulatory pressures are mounting in the United Kingdom and Australia, with the United States also enforcing changes through court rulings in the Epic Games lawsuit.Apple will maintain its ability to charge transaction fees under the new framework. According to Brazilian tech publication Tecnoblog, the fee structure includes a 25% commission on standard App Store purchases, a 15% fee for external payment redirects using buttons or links, and a 5% Core Technology Commission for alternative app stores.In a statement, Apple warned the changes "will open new privacy and security risks to users," though the company said it has "worked to maintain protections against some threats, including keeping in place important safeguards for younger users."The settlement marks another regulatory setback for Apple's closed ecosystem approach, as global antitrust authorities increasingly challenge the company's App Store policies as anti-competitive. Apple must now finalize implementation details within the 105-day compliance window, likely aligning changes with an iOS update in early April 2026.