Brazilian Court Ruling

A Brazilian court has ordered Apple to allow users to sideload apps, bypassing the App Store, within 90 days. The ruling is a result of litigation launched by Mercado Libre, Match, and Epic Games, which complained about developers being forced to pay hefty commissions through Apple's App Store.

The court's decision follows similar orders issued in Europe and elsewhere, which were referenced by the Brazilian court. Judge Pablo Zuniga stated that Apple has already complied with similar obligations in other countries without demonstrating significant impact or irreparable damage to its business model.

Apple had appealed a previous ruling by Brazil's antitrust regulator CADE, which ordered the company to allow users to download apps and make purchases from outside the App Store. However, the court has now ordered Apple to allow sideloading and third-party app stores within the next three months or face fines.

An Apple spokesperson expressed concern that the changes will harm the privacy and security of iOS users, but the company plans to appeal the decision. The ruling is seen as a significant development in the ongoing debate over app store regulations and the balance between user freedom and platform security.