Apple opens iOS to third-party app stores in Japan

Dec 18, 2025 06:55 PM - 5 months ago 165499

Dominic Preston

is a news editor pinch complete a decade’s acquisition successful journalism. He antecedently worked astatine Android Police and Tech Advisor.

Apple has announced the changes it’s making to the iOS App Store successful Japan successful bid to comply pinch recent legislation successful the country. It will let third-party app stores and costs processing options, though is introducing caller committee fees for those transactions.

Developers successful Japan will now beryllium able to administer apps connected replacement app stores, much for illustration successful the EU, pinch AltStore PAL already expecting to motorboat successful the country earlier the year’s end. As successful Europe, Apple will cod a 5 percent committee for in-app purchases made successful third-party stores.

App Store apps will besides now beryllium permitted to usage replacement costs options alongside Apple’s, aliases nexus retired to websites wherever users tin make purchases. Apple will still complaint up to 21 percent per transaction for in-app purchases, pinch a 15 percent committee for integer equipment bought done a website linked from the app.

Apple will see warnings to users erstwhile utilizing third-party stores aliases replacement costs options. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney pointed to those warnings, and Apple’s committee fees, erstwhile confirming that Fortnite won’t yet return to iOS successful Japan. Similar warnings and fees person been astatine rumor successful the US, wherever Apple precocious mislaid an appeal successful its ongoing antitrust conflict pinch Epic.

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