Another country imposes EU inspired restrictions on Apple
After being forced to adopt changes to its policies in the EU under the DMA (Digital Markets Act) Apple is now facing the same challenges in Brazil (translated source). This isn’t the first time that Brazil has demanded Apple to change how it operates in the region but previous attempts had been overturned.
This time the authorities seem much more determined to get their way and have given Apple 90 days to implement the required changes. The company has been asked to allow users to sideload apps to their devices — similar to the EU — and also let developers inform consumers of alternative payment methods. Developers will also be able to integrate third party payment platforms into their apps via buttons and links.
The company has been given 90 days to enact the demanded changes after the judge decided that it needed time to carry out the technicalities. Brazilian authorities have pointed to the EU and said that similar restrictions on Apple in the country will not negatively affect the company’s business model too severely.
After being forced to concede to the Digital Markets Act in the EU, Apple released very different products across the world. Apple Intelligence — one of the major selling points of the iPhone 16 — was not available in the EU for a long time. However, iPhone owners in the EU got access to sideloaded apps and third party payments amidst other changes.
It was also because of pressure from the EU that Apple brought the USB-C port to its phones. Thankfully it was deemed more economical to give every iPhone around the world a USB-C port and the Lightning connector was phased out.
Apple’s coveted walled garden has been crumbling for some time now, including ridiculous secret demands like the U.K. asking for every Apple user’s data. Brazil isn’t the first country to make demands like this from Apple and it very likely won’t be the last if I had to guess.
This ruling had previously been overturned because it was deemed unnecessary. Now that it’s actually going through, Apple has repeated the same claims it made to the EU. The company says that this move will risk the privacy and security of people who use Apple devices. Mostly because Apple cannot guarantee that sideloaded applications are free of malicious software.
The company has been given 90 days to enact the demanded changes after the judge decided that it needed time to carry out the technicalities. Brazilian authorities have pointed to the EU and said that similar restrictions on Apple in the country will not negatively affect the company’s business model too severely.
The iPhone 16 is very different in other regions. | Video credit — Apple
After being forced to concede to the Digital Markets Act in the EU, Apple released very different products across the world. Apple Intelligence — one of the major selling points of the iPhone 16 — was not available in the EU for a long time. However, iPhone owners in the EU got access to sideloaded apps and third party payments amidst other changes.
It was also because of pressure from the EU that Apple brought the USB-C port to its phones. Thankfully it was deemed more economical to give every iPhone around the world a USB-C port and the Lightning connector was phased out.
Apple’s coveted walled garden has been crumbling for some time now, including ridiculous secret demands like the U.K. asking for every Apple user’s data. Brazil isn’t the first country to make demands like this from Apple and it very likely won’t be the last if I had to guess.
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