Brazilian judge overturns decision requiring Apple to open its store.
A federal court in Brazil has overturned a court order requiring Apple to open its App Store, considering that the measure was "disproportionate and unnecessary."
Last week, Brazil's antitrust regulator, CADE, ordered Apple to allow users to download apps and make purchases outside of its App Store, setting a 20-day deadline and warning of fines for non-compliance. However, a Brazilian federal court has revoked this injunction, arguing that it was "disproportionate and unnecessary."
CADE had requested that Apple permit third-party developers to inform users about alternative methods for making in-app purchases, thus preventing these developers from being forced to pay a commission to the company. Additionally, Apple was required to open its ecosystem to other stores or allow the independent installation of apps. If Apple failed to comply with these demands within the set timeframe, it faced a fine of 250,000 Reais (approximately $43,000) per day.
Apple appealed this decision, arguing that implementing the required changes within the given time would be too complicated. The court agreed with this argument, emphasizing that "the technical complexity of the changes and the global regulatory impacts of similar decisions in other regions, such as the European Union, reinforce the need for such modifications to be discussed in greater depth," according to the judge's ruling.
CADE's investigation was initiated following a complaint from local e-commerce company Mercado Livre, which accused Apple of anti-competitive practices. The regulator still has the option to appeal the decision, which could force Apple to comply with the established guidelines.
