Apple Introduces Major iOS Changes in Japan to Comply With Mobile Software Competition Act
Apple has announced a comprehensive set of updates affecting iOS apps in Japan, aligning its platform with the country’s newly enacted Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). These changes significantly reshape how developers can distribute apps and process payments on iOS devices in Japan, while also introducing new safeguards designed to preserve user privacy, security, and child safety.
Under the MSCA, Apple is required to open iOS to greater competition by allowing alternative app marketplaces and payment methods beyond Apple’s long-standing App Store and In-App Purchase system. While Apple acknowledges that these regulatory requirements create new opportunities for developers, the company has also emphasized that they introduce additional risks related to malware, fraud, scams, and inappropriate content. To address these concerns, Apple says it has worked closely with Japanese regulators to implement protections aimed at minimizing potential harm—particularly for younger users.
These updates are rolling out as part of iOS 26.2, and developers can begin integrating the new capabilities immediately. Apple has also published detailed guidance on its Apple Developer Support page to help developers understand and adopt the changes.
Balancing Competition With User Safety
Apple stated that the MSCA’s provisions requiring alternative app distribution and payment options inevitably expand the attack surface for malicious actors. Alternative marketplaces and external payment systems, the company warns, may expose users to higher risks of scams, fraudulent apps, privacy violations, and harmful content.
To counterbalance these risks, Apple has introduced a set of baseline security measures. Although these safeguards do not replicate the full protections of the App Store’s rigorous review process, Apple says they are essential to maintaining iOS as one of the world’s safest mobile platforms.
Among the most important of these measures are Notarization for iOS apps, an authorization process for alternative app marketplaces, and enhanced child safety requirements. Apple emphasized that it will continue engaging with Japanese regulators to further strengthen protections as the regulatory environment evolves.
App Distribution Options Expand Beyond the App Store
The App Store remains Apple’s primary and recommended platform for discovering and downloading iOS apps in Japan. Apps distributed through the App Store continue to undergo Apple’s comprehensive App Review process, which evaluates apps for privacy compliance, security, fraud prevention, and adherence to content standards. These protections also enable parents to manage their children’s app experiences through age ratings, parental controls, and content restrictions.
However, in compliance with the MSCA, Apple is now allowing developers to distribute iOS apps in Japan through alternative app marketplaces. These marketplaces must be authorized by Apple and comply with ongoing requirements designed to ensure operational integrity and basic user protection.
Despite this authorization requirement, Apple cautions that apps downloaded outside the App Store will not benefit from the same level of scrutiny as App Store apps. As a result, users may encounter apps that contain scams, deceptive practices, or objectionable content that would otherwise be prohibited under App Store guidelines.
Notarization: A Baseline Security Review
To mitigate some of these risks, Apple is introducing a Notarization process that applies to all iOS apps, regardless of how they are distributed. Notarization focuses on verifying basic app functionality and protecting users from serious security threats.
This process includes automated scans and human review to ensure apps behave as described and are free from known malware, viruses, or other harmful code. While Notarization adds an important layer of protection, Apple has clarified that it is less comprehensive than the App Store’s App Review process, which evaluates apps against a broader set of privacy, security, and content standards.
Developers interested in operating or distributing apps through alternative marketplaces can access additional information and requirements through Apple’s updated developer documentation.
New Payment Options for App Store Apps
Apple In-App Purchase (IAP) will continue to be available for iOS users in Japan, allowing them to purchase digital goods and services, manage subscriptions, request refunds, and review their transaction history within a secure and familiar environment.
To comply with the MSCA, Apple is now enabling developers to offer alternative payment methods within their App Store apps in Japan. Developers may either integrate a third-party payment processor directly into their app or include a link directing users to an external website to complete a transaction.
Importantly, these alternative payment options must always be presented alongside Apple In-App Purchase, ensuring users clearly understand when a transaction is processed by Apple versus an external provider. Transactions completed through Apple IAP will continue to include protections such as refund support, subscription management tools, and Apple’s “Report a Problem” feature.
However, Apple has warned that purchases made through alternative payment systems come with trade-offs. Apple will not be able to issue refunds or provide the same level of customer support for disputes, scams, or fraudulent activity. Users may also need to share payment information with additional parties, increasing privacy and security risks.
Updated Business Terms for Developers in Japan
Alongside these technical changes, Apple has introduced new business terms for iOS apps distributed in Japan. These updated terms reflect the expanded distribution and payment options while continuing to focus Apple’s fees exclusively on digital goods and services.
Apple emphasized that, under the new structure, developers selling digital goods and services in Japan will pay the same or lower total fees compared to previous terms. Developers that do not monetize through digital goods or services will continue to pay no commissions or fees.
The revised fee structure includes:
- App Store Commission:
Most developers will pay a reduced commission of 10 percent, including participants in the Small Business Program, Video Partner Program, Mini Apps Partner Program, and subscriptions after the first year. Other transactions will be subject to a 21 percent commission, reflecting the value of Apple’s development tools, App Store distribution, discovery, and ongoing services. - Apple Payment Processing Fee:
Developers who choose to use Apple In-App Purchase will pay an additional 5 percent payment processing fee. - Store Services Commission:
Apps linking users to external websites for purchases will pay a 15 percent commission, reduced to 10 percent for eligible developers and long-term subscriptions. - Core Technology Commission:
Apps distributed outside the App Store will pay a 5 percent commission on sales of digital goods and services, including paid apps. This fee compensates Apple for providing the underlying tools, technologies, and services that enable iOS app development and distribution.
Strengthening Protections for Children
Apple has long positioned the App Store as a safe environment for children, offering parents tools such as age ratings, Content & Privacy Restrictions, Ask to Buy, and Screen Time controls. The company acknowledged that expanded app distribution and payment options under the MSCA could expose children to new risks.
For example, apps distributed outside the App Store may include illicit or inappropriate content and will not be subject to Apple’s child-focused app review standards. Apple noted that similar regulatory changes in Europe have already resulted in categories of apps—such as pornography apps—becoming available on iOS for the first time.
To mitigate these risks in Japan, Apple worked with regulators to retain key guardrails, including:
- Apps in the Kids category on the App Store are prohibited from linking to external websites for transactions.
- For users under 18, apps using alternative payments must include a parental gate requiring adult approval before purchases.
- For users under 13, App Store apps cannot link to external websites for transactions at all.
Apple is also developing a new API to help developers using alternative payment systems enable parental oversight and approval mechanisms. Developers must continue providing age ratings for their apps, regardless of distribution method.
Additional iOS 26.2 Updates for Users and Developers
Beyond app distribution and payments, iOS 26.2 introduces several new controls and choices for users in Japan. These include a browser choice screen, expanded search engine selection, and new default app controls for navigation apps and app marketplaces. Users can review and modify these preferences at any time in Settings.
For developers, Apple is introducing additional tools, such as support for alternative browser engines beyond WebKit under strict security requirements, a new API enabling voice-based apps to launch via the iPhone side button, and a formal process to request interoperability with core iOS technologies.
Source Link:https://www.apple.com/
