Russia makes local apps mandatory on smartphones


A man talks on his smartphone at the Red Square in downtown Moscow on September 15, 2019. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law a requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software.

The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software. But it has been dubbed the "anti-Apple" law because it would force the US tech giant to pre-install non-Apple software on its products.

The Star Christmas Special Promo: Save 35% OFF Yearly. T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
Russia

Next In Tech News

Waymo discusses raising billions at over $100 billion valuation, the Information reports
Hacking group ‘ShinyHunters’ threatens to expose premium users of sex site Pornhub
X Corp sues social media startup over bid to claim 'Twitter' brand
US threatens countermeasures after EU fine on Musk's X
Bank of Canada wants stablecoins to be backed by high-quality liquid assets
Factbox-From trend to mainstay: AI to cement its place at the core of 2026 investment strategies
Data and AI firm Databricks valued at $134 billion in latest funding round
Business leaders agree AI is the future. They just wish it worked right now
Review: Defend a moving city in 'Monsters Are Coming' for PC and Xbox
Chip crunch to curb smartphone output in 2026, researcher says

Others Also Read