Japan to force more browser choice on iPhone this December

Japan’s new antitrust regulations will not only mandate Apple to permit third-party app stores but also require the company to allow third-party browser engines on iPhones starting in December.
Amber Neely for AppleInsider:
‎

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission is gearing up to enforce its new Smartphone Act rules that directly impact Apple’s software policies. Central to the changes is Apple’s WebKit-only rule for all iOS browsers.
The new guidelines, translated by Open Web Advocacy, give Apple until December 2025 to remove restrictions that block or hinder third-party browser engines on iOS. That deadline means iPhone users in Japan could see actual alternatives to Safari as early as 2026.
In July, Japan’s Fair Trade Commission finalized updates to the Mobile Software Competition Act, with full enforcement set for December 18, 2025. The rules require Apple to allow third-party app stores, alternative payments, and broader access to hardware features like Face ID and Touch ID.

‎
MacDailyNews Take: Apple rightly argues that many of these changes could put user privacy and security at risk.

‎
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Japan to force more browser choice on iPhone this December appeared first on MacDailyNews.