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Japan’s parliament has passed a law that will require Apple and Google to allow access to third-party app stores and payment providers on devices running their mobile operating systems.
The Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software passed Japan’s upper house yesterday and will be enforced once Cabinet rubber-stamps it at some point in the next eighteen months.
The last item on the list is a shot across Apple’s bows, as the iGiant has been reticent to allow third-party developers to use the NFC chip in iPhones for payments.
Requiring the same level of access is a big deal – especially as non-compliance could result in fines that represent “20 percent of relevant turnover.”
As it implements the law, the JFTC will seek comment from relevant ministries and agencies on matters including security, privacy, and protecting kids.
Apple has sometimes argued that security is a major concern if third party app stores are allowed to access iThings – but has complied with requirements to open its devices to competition under the DMA.
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Good job japan, corporations should not be allowed to lock you out of using competition on a device you own.
Google allows that though or do they mean access of Google Play via 3rd party apps?
Not that I am saying it might not be necessary to include Google from the start, sets a good precedence and prevents a future where they might go the Apple route.
Just hope both Google and Apple won’t restrict opening up to Japanese market only. But who am I kidding, they will.
I think this means allowing the listing of third party app stores inside the Google Play Store - so you could search for F-Droid in Google Play for example instead of downloading and installing the .apk
manually.
Downloading F-Droid from Google Play kind of defeats the purpose of F-Droid.
You can still verify the install even if it went through the play store no? Or are apps on the playstore not signed by the developer?
I don’t like that, if I am going through the play store, I only want things that have gone through googles vetting process, flawed though it may be.
Japan has so many unique store that operated in their country with region-locked apps/games.
As far as I remember, even DMM and DLsite already has their own game store on Android.
This is truly a win for Japanese customer and company.
The picture says “No Smartphones Allowed.” Doesn’t seem entirely right…
Reminds me of that meme of Asian people with random English words tattoo’d on them.
Here you go https://www.angmohdan.com/english-name-tattoo/