Japan Passes Law to Allow Third-Party App Stores on the iPhone

[MacRumors]

New legislation in Japan requires Apple to allow third-party app stores and payment providers on the iPhone.

The Japanese parliament has passed the Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software, a law that compels Apple to allow access to third-party app stores and payment providers on devices that run iOS. The legislation, which was passed by Japan's upper house and will be enforced following Cabinet approval within the next eighteen months, seeks to curb the dominance of major tech firms like Apple in the smartphone market.

The law requires Apple to make several significant changes to its business practices. The company will have to permit third-party app stores on its devices, just like it does in the EU. App developers will be allowed to use third-party payment services. There are also provisions to allow users to change default settings via new choice screens during setup, such as for selecting a default browser.

Apple will be forbidden from giving its own services preferential treatment in search results without a justifiable reason. The law also prohibits the use of data acquired about competing software to benefit its own apps. Additionally, the law requires that third-party developers have access to the same features as Apple's own apps and services, such as NFC for contactless payments.

Failure to comply with these new regulations could lead to fines amounting to 20 percent of relevant turnover, with the figure increasing to 30 percent for repeat offenses. In a statement to The Verge, Apple said:

The Japanese government made a number of changes to the legislation that will help protect user privacy, data security, innovation, and our intellectual property. We will continue our engagement with the JFTC during the implementation period as we remain concerned about how the law will impact Japanese consumers and the secure and private iPhone experience our users have come to expect.

The law is expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2025. Epic Games has already announced plans to bring Fortnite and its game store platform to iOS in Japan by late 2025.

Japan's move follows a trend of international legislative efforts aimed at regulating the dominance of major tech companies. The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill are similar initiatives designed to foster competition and prevent monopolistic practices. Various antitrust cases in the United States are also targeting similar issues.

Article Link: Japan Passes Law to Allow Third-Party App Stores on the iPhone

 

[brofkand]

The house of cards is falling down...

 

[Aoligei]

Yes! Other hole in the walled garden.

 

[kybldmstr]

iOS about to become a bloated mess in all countries

 

[Robert.Walter]

Welcome to your security and performance nightmare Japan.

 

[Aoligei]

Oh my god! Other government intervention? When can governments just mind their own business? Let free market to decide! Big government at its finest, forcing its will to beloved corporation!

What government doesn’t understand is corporation is for its people, not for profit! Only Apple knows what is best for its users!

I hate this! Apple should get out of Japan ASAP, just like how they did in Europe, oh wait…

 

[john123]

Oh my god! Other government intervention? When can governments just mind their own business? Let free market to decide! Big government at its finest, forcing its will to beloved corporation!

What government doesn’t understand is corporation is for its people, not for profit! Only Apple knows what is best for its users!

I hate this! Apple should get out of Japan ASAP, just like how they did in Europe, oh wait…

I legit can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not…

 

[Aoligei]

Welcome to your security and performance nightmare Japan.

Don’t worry, it is Apple. They will make every opportunity to profit from is. Just like how they did in EU.

 

[B4U]

Meanwhile, in the same Japan...
Modding game console is illegal by saying it violates the work of the game companies, but they are compelling the smartphone companies to open up their work to outside.
hm...hypocrite much?

Game Console Modding Illegal In Japan, Punishable By Prison And Fines

It is illegal to mod game save data and game consoles in Japan. Both are punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to 5 million yen ($46,000).

kotaku.com

 

[contacos]

Welcome to your security and performance nightmare Japan.

Apple just opened the gate themselves by adding ChatGPT to the OS.

I guess it is only fine when it’s competitors you can’t compete with but everyone they directly compete with is a bad idea and a „security risk“.

I call it hypocrisy

 

[Aoligei]

Meanwhile, in the same Japan...
Modding game console is illegal by saying it violates the work of the game companies, but they are compelling the smartphone companies to open up their work to outside.
hm...hypocrite much?

Game Console Modding Illegal In Japan, Punishable By Prison And Fines

It is illegal to mod game save data and game consoles in Japan. Both are punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to 5 million yen ($46,000).

kotaku.com

Smartphone market is much bigger than console.

 

[icanhazmac]

Sad to see the fragmentation of the store experience continue.

 

[cicalinarrot]

People will keep saying apps that Apple doesn't scrutinize make an OS unsafe.
To which I'll keep replying "mac-freakin-O-freakin-S"

 

[bodhisattva]

Follow the leader at its best. One by one countries will look more like the Wild West with rolling the dice as to whether you are downloading a virus, worm, or other. No thanks. Dear Apple, I'll be using your App Store and satisfied knowing any bugs encountered are not intentional

 

[JippaLippa]

Sad to see the fragmentation of the store experience continue.

Yes.
As I have said many times, even if I don't like the DMCA, I still think a worldwide rollout would have been cleaner.

 

[Stella]

Congratulations Japan. Hopefully more countries will follow.

iOS doesn't need to be guarded behind a walled Garden. Open the Gates, let the customer decide.

 

[Xavier]

Again, if you don't want to use an alternate app store, then don't. Having a choice? I think thats ok.

 

[CapitalIdea]

Don’t worry, it is Apple. They will make every opportunity to profit from is. Just like how they did in EU.

As well they should. They are not there to subsidize failing app developers nor are they there to provide free goods and services just because some people want them.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Interesting how much more respectful and measured Apple’s statement with regard to the Japanese vs the EU.

 

[Koudspeel]

'Brussels effect'. Smart move Japan.

 

[icanhazmac]

Again, if you don't want to use an alternate app store, then don't. Having a choice? I think thats ok.

I can't believe people keep parroting this...

What happens when an app you already own decides to join the Epic, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Steam, etc store via an exclusive distribution agreement? Exclusive agreement meaning they will remove their app from the Apple store.

I will tell you... you will be forced to either abandon an app you already paid for or you will be forced to join another store. Soon users will have an app store account for all of the above which is yet another way for them to hoover your data.

 

[CapitalIdea]

Meanwhile, in the same Japan...
Modding game console is illegal by saying it violates the work of the game companies, but they are compelling the smartphone companies to open up their work to outside.
hm...hypocrite much?

Game Console Modding Illegal In Japan, Punishable By Prison And Fines

It is illegal to mod game save data and game consoles in Japan. Both are punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to 5 million yen ($46,000).

kotaku.com

It would be great if American lawmakers had the stomach to force the exact same set of rules on console makers. I wonder how Japan would react if Sony and Nintendo were held to the same standards. Microsoft is probably going to leave the console business anyway.

 

[neuropsychguy]

The house of cards is falling down...

These various country/union specific regulations are building that house of cards. Apple currently has a solid, real house.

I support having alternative app stores or ways to buy and put apps on iPhones, but these various regulations will undermine the strength and stability of what Apple built. Maybe it will be better in the long run, maybe it will not. We cannot automatically assume it will be good or bad.

 

[falkon-engine]

Seems common sense to me.

 

[Aoligei]

As well they should. They are not there to subsidize failing app developers nor are they there to provide free goods and services just because some people want them.

Which I would say, EU should make sure that Apple’s implementation should be banned and Apple should be fined big dollars.