Apple Bent the Rules for Russia. Other Nations Will Take Note

The law in question dates back to 2019, when Russia dictated that all computers, smartphones, smart TVs, and so on sold there must come preloaded with a selection of state-approved apps that includes browsers, messenger platforms, and even antivirus services. Apple has stopped short of that; the suggested apps aren't pre-installed, and users can opt not to download them. The pre-installed apps law came to be known as the "Law against Apple," because it essentially dared Apple to pull out of the Russian market entirely rather than change the rules in the company's controlled iPhone ecosystem. The situation with Russia's mandatory apps is not the first time Apple has faced invasive legal requirements from an authoritarian government-nor the first time the company has conceded to these demands. Apple removes apps from its Chinese iOS App Store when the government demands. Broader distribution of its favored apps could result in expanded government access to Russian user data and personal information, or even situations where the government tracks which devices are using certain apps and which have removed them. Apple could have simply allowed Russia to pre-install whatever apps it wanted on iOS devices, but the company also could have taken a radical stand against such interference.