Brazil tells Apple to open up; perhaps it’s time to move on?

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 16:22:34 +0000
Computer Industry

When it comes to its App Store business model, Apple is losing ground one nation at a time. While there is merit in many of its arguments, perhaps it really is time the company bit the bullet and focused on protecting what it can?

The company’s latest setback comes from Brazil, where Apple has been given just 90 days to open up its App Store in a very similar way to how it is being forced to open up in Europe.

**Brazil tells Apple to open the doors**

According to local reports, Judge Pablo Zuniga was blunt: “The closed structure of iOS and the restrictions imposed on third-party app sales are precisely the factors that justify the preventive action of the antitrust authority, as maintaining them without any intervention may hinder the entry of new competitors and impede the restoration of competition in the sector.”

Apple will have to permit app side-loading from third-party stores on iOS devices, which also means it must put an ecosystem in place to support that. The court decided to reinstate an injunction Apple had previously appealed successfully; the original case was led by Brazil’s antitrust regulator. That regulator also demands Apple permit use of alternative in-app payment systems.

Zuniga also noted that Apple did not experience significant damage to its economic model when it opened up the store to competitors in the EU. (It’s arguable we haven’t yet seen the full impact of that move, given ongoing litigation concerning Apple’s approach.)

The proverbial lady isn’t singing quite yet in Brazil. Apple continues to insist that opening the app economy in the way regulators demand will pose a significant challenge to maintaining customer security and privacy on its platforms. Apple says it will appeal Brazil’s decision.

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because it is. In defense of its App Store business model, Apple is defending, losing, appealing, and usually losing again in courts around the globe. It has