Apple has announced changes to iOS in Brazil following an agreement with Brazil's competition regulator, the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE).
iOS developers will now have the option to distribute their apps on third-party app stores in the region, and will be able to process payments outside of Apple's In-App Purchase system.
Apple says it has "worked to reduce the new privacy and security risks [these changes] create" but has warned that this change will "open new avenues for malware, fraud, scams, and privacy and security risks."
Not the first country
This is not the first time a regulatory body has resulted in Apple opening up the App Store.
In 2024, to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Union, Apple introduced support for third-party app marketplaces on iOS and made changes to how the system prompts a user to set a default browser.
More recently, in 2025, Apple announced similar changes to iOS in Japan under its Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA).
Most iPhone users will not be impacted, as these changes apply only to select regions. The Apple App Store remains the primary way to download apps in most countries, including the UK and US.
Source: Apple Newsroom