Apple Opens iOS to Third-Party App Stores in Japan

In a significant shift for its mobile ecosystem, Apple is opening its iOS platform in Japan to third-party app stores and alternative payment processors. This move comes as a direct response to new legislative requirements within the country, fundamentally altering how apps can be distributed and monetized on iPhones and iPads for Japanese users. While this represents a notable departure from Apple’s traditionally closed system, the company is implementing new commission structures and user warnings that are already drawing criticism from major developers.

Alongside permitting competing app marketplaces, Apple will now allow applications distributed through its own App Store to utilize payment options other than its proprietary system. Developers can integrate alternative processors directly or include links that direct users to external websites to complete transactions. However, these transactions will not be commission-free. For digital goods and services purchased through a website linked from within an app, Apple will levy a 15 percent commission. If a user completes an in-app purchase using an alternative payment processor, the company will charge a fee of up to 21 percent per transaction.

Apple has also stated it will present explicit warnings to users when they venture outside its walled garden. These alerts will appear when downloading apps from a third-party store or when using a non-Apple payment method, ostensibly to inform users about potential differences in privacy, security, and purchase protections. This practice has become a point of contention. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney cited these very warnings, alongside the persistent commission fees, as the reason Fortnite will not immediately return to iOS devices in Japan. Similar disputes over fees and user interface warnings are central to the ongoing antitrust battle between Apple and Epic in the United States, where Apple recently lost a key appeal.

(Source: The Verge)