The bill requiring the installation of RuStore on Apple devices in Russia has been approved in the first reading
On November 13, the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed in its first reading a bill that mandates Apple to allow the installation of the RuStore app store on iPhones and iPads within Russia.
However, deputies concluded that the initiative requires refinement. Amendments to the bill need to be prepared by December 12. The specific changes needed are not mentioned on the State Duma's website.
If the bill passes the remaining readings and is signed by the President of the Russian Federation, the initiative will come into effect on September 1, 2025.
In a comment to "Kommersant," Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma's Committee on Information Policy and one of the authors of the bill, reminded that Apple had already allowed the installation of third-party app stores in EU countries at the beginning of the year. Therefore, from a technical perspective, the company should be ready to comply with the requirements in Russia. Moreover, he believes the bill is advantageous for Apple.
"Apple is interested in the bill's adoption; its management understands that due to sanction pressures, Russian apps might disappear from the App Store in a couple of years. Allowing RuStore into its ecosystem could be a solution that satisfies everyone," Gorelkin stated.
In his Telegram channel, Gorelkin added that the bill does not prohibit the sale of Apple devices without RuStore in Russia. However, the deputy did not rule out the possibility of fines "for discrimination" against Russian developers and users.
