A bill has been submitted to the State Duma that prohibits the sale of smartphones and tablets in Russia without access to RuStore, the Russian app store. The primary target is Apple devices.
The authors of the bill recalled that RuStore became mandatory for pre-installation in Russia in 2023, but compliance with this requirement on Apple devices is impossible due to the specifics of iOS. The company does not allow alternative app stores on its devices in Russia and prohibits installing apps from outside the App Store.
The bill's authors noted that at the beginning of 2024, Apple allowed alternative app stores for users in European Union countries. The company was forced to do this due to the Digital Markets Act.
According to statements made by Deputy Anton Gorelkin, the iOS version of RuStore is already ready. Technically, it can be launched on Apple devices the day after the law takes effect, but officials want to give Apple time to prepare.
It is expected that if the bill is approved, the new rules will come into effect on September 1, 2025.