Reuters reports that Russia’s antitrust regulator has opened a formal case against Apple over the company’s failure to preinstall the state-backed MAX messenger and Russia’s RuStore app marketplace on its devices. Here are the details.
Russia opens antitrust proceedings against Apple
Since 2019, when Russia passed a law requiring device makers to offer domestic apps on products sold in the country, Apple and Russian authorities have been locked in a slow-boiling battle.
In 2021, when the law went into effect, Apple reached an arrangement under which users setting up a new iPhone in Russia would be shown a list of recommended Russian-developed apps, rather than having them installed automatically.
In March 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Apple halted product sales and exports to the country and removed the RT News and Sputnik News apps from App Stores outside Russia. That September, Apple also removed several apps belonging to Russian technology company VK, citing British sanctions.
