Apple opens up the App Store in Brazil
In line with demands from the regulators, Apple has announced major changes to iOS in Brazil following an agreement with Brazil’s competition regulator, the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE).
The Brazil model
Similar to changes made elsewhere outside the EU, the changes will allow developers to distribute iOS apps through alternative app marketplaces rather than exclusively through the App Store, and to offer payment methods outside Apple’s in-app purchasing system.
Apple says these changes will take effect with iOS 26.5 and are designed to comply with regulatory requirements while maintaining security protections.
To address the risks that Apple associates with sideloading and third-party payments, the company will require alternative app marketplaces to be authorized by Apple and will subject all iOS apps to a “Notarization” process that checks for malware and other security threats. This check won’t be as comprehensive s standard App Store reviews.
Apple has also decided to let developers link users to external websites for purchases or integrate alternative payment processors, although Apple warns that users may lose protections such as Apple-managed refunds, subscription management, and purchase history.
App Store commissions in Brazil will be reduced for many developers, while alternative payment and distribution models will be subject to various fees and commissions. The company argues that, under the new framework, developers selling digital goods and services will pay Apple the same or less than they currently do. Additional safeguards have been introduced for children, including restrictions on external payment links in kids’ apps and parental approval requirements for certain purchases.
This announcement is part of a broader global trend in which regulators are challenging the control that large technology companies exert over mobile ecosystems. Regulators increasingly view mobile operating systems as critical digital infrastructure and are pushing for greater competition, lower fees, and more consumer choice.
Apple’s response in Brazil follows the same pattern seen elsewhere: it is opening parts of the iOS ecosystem while attempting to preserve security and privacy controls for its customers, and retain some revenue streams. The result is a gradual shift away from Apple’s historically closed model toward a more regulated and interoperable mobile platform, although Apple continues to rightly argue that these changes increase security and privacy risks for users
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