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From April 1, users installing a new iPhone in Russia will see a screen that allows them to automatically install apps officially sanctioned by the Russian government, according to Russian law (via Engadget).
The law in question was passed in 2019 and requires smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and smart TVs sold in Russia to be preinstalled with specific apps created by Russian companies before April 1, according to the website. Russian information. Knowledge. (The law was originally supposed to come into effect in July 2020, but has been pushed back to April 2021). Knowledge also says that apps won’t be installed if users don’t want them. Apple confirmed to The edge that it will comply with the law by giving users the option to install the applications when activating the phone.
The applications that will be specifically offered to users, however, remain unclear. Knowledge cites an application of government services and applications of Russian companies such as Yandex, Mail.ru and Kaspersky Lab. The government seems aware that it could be problematic to promote specific apps and plans to expand its list over time: “The ministry is not at all interested in seeing popular apps included in the pre-install list. compulsory take dominant positions. If alternatives emerge in the market, prove to be of interest to users and quickly gain popularity, they will be included in this selection and also offered for pre-installation, ”said a Russian official. Knowledge.
Apple has historically kept tight control over the iPhone setup process, and that now seems to be changing, if only in one market. While Apple has already made changes to stay on the side of local laws – it has changed maps, blocked Pride Watch Faces in Russia, and now stores iCloud data on state-run servers in China – this can be one of the most dramatic changes, as it affects a screen that every user will see when setting up their iPhone.
Apple has slowly allowed users to change how iOS works from the start, with the ability to change some default apps in iOS 14, but now the Russian government is giving it a little control over the setup process as well. As the company faces legal challenges from the EU and the US over antitrust and giving its competitors a level playing field, we might see Apple having to cede a bit more control. to governments if it wants to sell its phones to their citizens – although it probably won’t have to ask users if they want to install Spotify during setup. Probably.
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