A Brazilian court has canceled a ruling that forced Apple to tweak its App Store rules in the country. The decision, made on Thursday night, gives Apple more time to address antitrust concerns raised by the country’s regulator.
Judge Eduardo Santos da Rocha Penteado ruled that the original decision by Cade, Brazil’s antitrust regulator, was “disproportionate and unnecessary.”
The overturned injunction would have required Apple to enable app sideloading and allow third-party payment options for iOS users in Brazil within 20 days.
Non-compliance with the original ruling would have resulted in daily fines of R$250,000 (approximately US$42,000).
The judge noted that Cade’s demands would deeply impact Apple’s operations, pointing out the technical challenges and global ripple effects, like those seen in the EU. He stressed the need for a more thorough discussion.
This ruling starts from an investigation initiated by Cade after a complaint from MercadoLibre, a major Latin American e-commerce platform, in 2022. The investigation focuses on Apple’s practices of forcing developers to use its payment system and imposing potentially anti-competitive terms on iOS.
Cade is expected to appeal the court’s ruling, meaning Apple may still face requirements to modify its App Store policies in Brazil in the future.
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