Apple will allow other app stores besides its own on the iOS operating system in Brazil to resolve a three-year-old case with the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade), both parties said on Tuesday.
Cade formed a majority to accept Apple’s proposed agreement, the authority said in a statement.
In addition to app stores, the agreement also mandates that Apple allow third-party payment processing methods for in-app purchases in addition to its own, or links to external websites for transactions.
Apple said in a statement that it will make the changes to comply with Cade’s requirements, but that these actions will open up privacy and security risks for users.
The investigation began after a complaint filed in 2022 by Mercado Livre about Apple’s restrictions on the distribution of digital products and in-app purchases.
Cade then issued preventive measures against Apple in 2024 and, at the beginning of this year, its technical body recommended a decision against the North American company.
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Mercado Livre said it recognized Cade’s efforts, but added that the agreement ‘only partially meets the needs for more balanced rules’.
The agreement between Cade and Apple will last for three years, from the moment the new terms become mandatory for application developers, the regulatory body said. Apple has 105 days to make the changes it agreed to, the antitrust body added.
Apple is subject to a payment of up to R$150 million if it breaches the agreement, Cade said, noting that Apple also agreed to settle a legal complaint it had filed against the 2024 preventive measures.
