From April 1, users who set up a new iPhone in Russia will see a screen that allows them to automatically install apps that are officially approved by the Russian government, in accordance with Russian law (via Engadget).
The law was passed in 2019 and requires that smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and smart TVs sold in Russia be pre-installed with specific programs made by Russian companies on April 1, according to the Russian news site Vedomosti. (The law was originally supposed to take effect in July 2020, but was pushed back until April 2021). Vedomosti also says that programs will not be installed if users do not want them. Apple confirms to The edge that it will comply with the law by giving users the option to install the apps when they activate the phone.
However, which applications will be offered specifically to users remains unclear Vedomosti mentions an app for government services and applications of Russian companies, including Yandex, Mail.ru and Kaspersky Lab. The government seems to be aware that it may be problematic to favor specific programs, and plans to expand its list over time: ‘The Ministry is not at all interested in including popular applications in the mandatory list before installation , do not occupy dominant positions. “If alternatives appear on the market, are of interest to users and quickly become popular, they will be included in this choice and also offered for pre-installation,” said a Russian official. Vedomosti.
Apple has historically maintained strict control over the iPhone’s setup process, and this seems to be changing now, albeit in just one market. While Apple has previously made changes to stay on the side of local laws – it has changed maps, blocked pride watches in Russia and now stores iCloud data on state-run servers in China – it could be one of the more dramatic changes, it’s touching. a screen that each user will see when setting up their iPhone.
Apple is gradually allowing users to change how iOS works out of the box, with the ability to change some standard apps in iOS 14, but now the Russian government is also being given some control over the setup process. As the company faces legal challenges from the EU and the US over antitrust, and because it gives its competitors an equal playing field, we can see that Apple needs to give more control to governments if it wants to sell its phones to their citizens – although it will probably not be forced to ask users if they want to install Spotify at the setting. Probably.