New Us Legislation Could Force Apple To Allow Default Third-party App Stores On Ios

A caller measure introduced successful nan United States House of Representatives could importantly reshape nan mobile app marketplace by requiring Apple and Google to support third-party app stores and let users to group them arsenic default options.

The App Store Freedom Act, introduced by Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) connected Tuesday, seeks to “promote title and protect consumers and developers” by curbing what it calls anti-competitive behaviour by ascendant app shop operators. According to a property merchandise from Cammack and reporting by The Verge, nan measure targets platforms pinch much than 100 cardinal users successful nan US, effectively singling retired Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Under nan projected law, companies would beryllium required to:

• Allow users to download and group third-party app stores arsenic defaults
• Enable removal aliases hiding of pre-installed apps
• Let developers connection replacement in-app costs systems
• Provide developers adjacent entree to cardinal strategy features and APIs without costs aliases discrimination

Failure to comply could consequence successful enforcement actions by nan Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and civilian penalties of up to $1 cardinal per violation.

“Dominant app stores person controlled customer information and forced consumers to usage nan marketplaces’ ain merchant services, alternatively of nan native, in-app offerings provided by nan applications and developers themselves,” Cammack said successful nan announcement, arsenic quoted by The Verge. “The results are higher prices and constricted selections for consumers and anti-competitive practices for developers that person stifled innovation.”

As PCMag reports, nan bill’s provisions lucifer those successful nan European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which has already forced Apple to unfastened up its iOS platform. Apple was fined €1.8 cardinal ($1.9 billion) earlier this twelvemonth complete antitrust violations related to euphony streaming apps, and successful April 2024, nan first third-party app shop officially launched connected iPhones successful Europe.

The DMA has besides mandated that Apple and others make antecedently restricted features, specified arsenic AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic audio switching, accessible to developers by 2026.

In nan US, courts person started pushing backmost against akin restrictions. A judge ordered Google to let third-party app stores successful precocious 2023, and a ruling successful nan Epic v. Apple lawsuit forced Apple to licence developers to guideline users to outer costs systems. Apple precocious began complying pinch that ruling, arsenic noted by The Verge.

In support of nan legislation, a Spotify spokesperson said successful Cammack’s property release: “The App Store Freedom Act could beryllium a game-changer for American consumers by giving them much prime and power complete their devices than ever before. We applaud Representative Kat Cammack for introducing common-sense rules of nan roadworthy to permanently unfastened up nan app economy, unlock caller opportunities for businesses and creators, and promote moreover stronger tech invention successful nan United States.”

Published on: May 8, 2025 2:56 PM IST