Beginning April 1, when users in Russia buy a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac, they will be prompted during setup with the option to go to a new page in the App Store to load the Russian software, Apple said on Tuesday. The applications that appear are being suggested by the Russian government, but Apple will only show apps that meet the company's App Store review guidelines.
The Cupertino, California-based technology giant said it is
making the change to comply with local regulations. A new consumer protection law
goes into effect next month in Russia that requires the pre-installation of
Russian software. The law was signed in 2019 partly to help local developers
compete better.
This will be the first time Apple offers users the ability to install outside software on its devices at setup. In previous updates to its mobile operating system, Apple has added country-specific features like additional map views in China, but it has eschewed other common app pre-installations like those from wireless carriers on Android devices.
The installation of Russian software on local devices is optional, but the government in recent years has cracked down on the ability for citizens to communicate privately on their devices. Russian authorities banned the private messaging app Telegram in recent years and the government has been accused of spying on citizens. Apple said it uses strong encryption and doesn't store user passcodes.
In 2019, Apple was criticised for an update of its Maps app
in Russia that displayed Crimea as part of Russia rather than Ukraine. That
came after months of Russian government pressure on operators of mapping
services to shift Crimea's designation.
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