A Brazilian federal judge has ordered Apple to allow third-party app stores and sideloading on iOS devices in Brazil within 90 days or face daily fines exceeding $40,000, according to multiple reports. Judge Pablo Zuniga of the Federal Regional Court overturned a previous ruling and reinstated an injunction from Brazil’s antitrust authority, CADE. The Administrative Council for Economic Defense or CADE is an independent agency reporting to Brazil’s Ministry of Justice.
Valor International reports that Zuniga justified the decision by noting that “Apple has already complied with similar obligations in other countries without demonstrating significant impact or irreparable harm to its economic model.”
What is case against Apple in Brazil all about
The case originated from a 2022 complaint by Latin American e-commerce company Mercado Livre, which accused Apple of abusing its dominant market position by forcing developers to use Apple’s payment system for digital goods and services.
Apple plans to appeal the decision, stating: “We are concerned that the interim measures proposed by CADE would undermine the privacy and security of our users.” The company has used similar security and privacy arguments when fighting against app sideloading in other regions.
Brazil’s antitrust investigation follows similar regulatory action in the European Union, where Apple was forced to allow alternative app stores under the Digital Markets Act. Apple implemented these changes for EU users with iOS 17.4, creating a precedent that Judge Zuniga referenced in his ruling.
The 90-day Deadline for Apple
The judge extended the implementation timeline from CADE’s original 20-day requirement to 90 days, acknowledging that “structural changes in operating systems require some planning and technical development.”
If the ruling stands, Brazil would become the second major market after the EU where Apple must open its tightly controlled iOS ecosystem to alternative app distribution methods, potentially setting a precedent for similar actions in other countries.
