Cade orders Apple to open External In-App Purchases in Brazil

Cade, Brazil’s antitrust agency, has determined that Apple must eliminate its limitations on in-app transactions within 20 days.

According to Reuters, the ruling comes after e-commerce giant MercadoLibre filed a case accusing Apple of unfair tactics.

Cade has instructed Apple to let app developers link to external websites for digital purchases and subscriptions or manage payment processing themselves.

The Brazilian authority has decided that Apple should allow app developers to link to external websites for subscriptions and digital transactions.

Alternatively, the corporation might let developers handle payment processing itself.

Newsng gathered that Apple faces a daily fine of 250,000 real (£43,000) if it does not comply within 20 days. Both Apple and MercadoLibre have yet to react to the verdict.

Apple’s compliance with Cade’s judgement might have a substantial influence on its app store business model, further undermining its “walled garden” approach.

However, as has happened in other regions, Apple may appeal the decision, thus prolonging the conflict.

MercadoLibre’s complaint, filed in Brazil and Mexico in 2022, accused Apple of imposing a number of restrictions on the distribution of digital goods and in-app purchases, including prohibiting apps from distributing third-party digital goods and services such as films, music, video games, books, and writings.
We earlier reported that Apple informed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Friday that it had taken the broadcaster’s app Svoboda (“Liberty”) out of the Russian App Store at the request of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal censorship agency.