(MENAFN) On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin enacted legislation compelling smartphone manufacturers to incorporate RuStore, the government-operated app store, on their devices. This regulation predominantly targets Apple, given the closed nature of its iOS ecosystem.

This legislation modifies the nation’s Consumer Protection Law by tightening rules around preinstalled applications. It explicitly prohibits device makers from restricting features such as payments, search functionality, software updates, or settings.

The update primarily aims at Apple, whose tightly controlled software environment is well known. Last year, the European Union pressured Apple to permit the installation of third-party app marketplaces on iOS devices sold within member countries. At present, installing RuStore on an iPhone requires complex workarounds due to system limitations.

The new requirements also affect Android phone manufacturers, though to a lesser degree. Brands like Samsung, Huawei, and Honor do not currently include RuStore by default, but the app is straightforward to install and operate without restrictions on these platforms.

Since 2019, Moscow has enforced a mandatory list of Russian-made software on electronic gadgets. Smartphone producers have criticized this policy, warning that forcing Russian apps could dampen activity in both the consumer electronics and software sectors and may ultimately lead to market monopolization.

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