US Wants Apple And Google To Allow Third-Party App Stores: Will It Happen?

8 hours ago

Last Updated:May 09, 2025, 09:10 IST

Apple and Google faces domestic pressure to support third-party app stores which could become legal if the bill clears the votes.

Apple and Google could face internal US pressure to make big changes.

According to a new bill in the US, Apple and Google may be forced to allow users to download and install third-party app stores on their smartphones by default. A member of the US House of Representatives named Kat Cammack introduced the draft legislation, which is known as the App Store Freedom Act.

The Verge reports that it intends to “promote competition and protect consumers and developers in the mobile app marketplace."

App stores having over 100 million users in the United States are considered “large app store operators" and are subject to their regulations. Following a significant decision in the Epic v. Apple antitrust case, which compelled Apple to permit developers to refer customers to third-party payment systems for in-app sales, the Republican representative from Florida, USA, brought forth the bill.

“Dominant app stores have controlled customer data and forced consumers to use the marketplaces’ own merchant services, instead of the native, in-app offerings provided by the applications and developers themselves," Cammack said in a press release. “The results are higher prices and limited selections for consumers and anti-competitive practices for developers that have stifled innovation," she added.

In the event that the proposed rule is passed, Google and Apple would have to provide developers with “equal access to interfaces, features, and development tools without cost or discrimination." Pre-installed apps on iOS and Android devices must also be able to be hidden or removed by users.

According to the bill, violations could result in civil penalties of up to $1 million for each company and penalties from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The European Union started introducing similar laws in 2023. Apple must make it possible for users to download apps from third-party stores and make their favourite apps the default app by virtue of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

After the DMA went into force, Google also made certain adjustments to conform to the rules. When consumers in the EU region initially set up their Android smartphones, for example, they are presented with a browser option screen.

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