What Apple announced
Apple has announced iOS changes specific to Brazil that expand how developers can distribute apps and take payments for digital goods and services. The update reflects a recent agreement with Brazil’s competition regulator, CADE (Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica), and ships as part of iOS 26.5, with developer support available starting today.
In short: developers in Brazil will gain new options to distribute iOS apps through alternative app marketplaces (outside the App Store) and to process payments outside Apple’s In‑App Purchase system. Apple is also layering in new requirements and security checks intended to reduce the privacy and security risks those options introduce.
Why this matters to the Apple gaming and platform ecosystem
MacGaming.com readers tend to care less about the politics of app distribution and more about the downstream realities: platform rules shape store economics, update pipelines, account systems, fraud exposure, and the overall trust users place in buying software on Apple platforms. Even though this announcement is iOS-focused, it’s still Apple ecosystem news with implications for how developers think about storefront strategy across iPhone, iPad, and (indirectly) Mac.
For game developers and publishers, additional distribution paths and payment choices can change margins, user acquisition tactics, and customer support burdens. For players, it can mean more places to discover and install apps—along with a higher chance of running into misleading listings, shady payment flows, and account scams if alternative channels don’t match the App Store’s standards.
Alternative marketplaces: choice vs. trust
Apple says the App Store remains the primary place for iOS users in Brazil to discover apps, highlighting App Review and built-in anti-fraud protections, plus parental tools that help enforce age-appropriate experiences.
Under the CADE agreement, developers can also distribute iOS apps in Brazil via alternative app marketplaces. Apple says those marketplaces must be authorized by Apple and meet ongoing requirements. The important caveat for users: apps downloaded outside the App Store won’t receive the same App Store review protections, which Apple argues increases exposure to scams, fraud, abusive behavior, and content that would not be allowed on the App Store.
Notarization comes to iOS in Brazil
To reduce risk from broader distribution, Apple is introducing a baseline review process called Notarization for iOS apps in Brazil. Apple describes Notarization as a combination of automated checks and human review focused on basic functionality and helping protect users from serious threats such as known malware or viruses.
This distinction matters: Apple emphasizes Notarization is less comprehensive than the App Store’s App Review process. In practical terms, that suggests a larger burden on users to judge trust and legitimacy when installing from outside the App Store, and a larger burden on developers and marketplace operators to earn confidence through reputation, transparency, and responsive support.
Payments outside In‑App Purchase
Apple also says developers will have new options to process payments for digital goods and services outside Apple’s In‑App Purchase in Brazil. Users can still use In‑App Purchase on the App Store, but Apple is explicitly acknowledging that expanded payment routing creates new avenues for fraud, scams, and privacy/security issues.
For developers, external payments can mean more flexibility in pricing models and account systems. For users, it can mean more fragmented support when something goes wrong—refund disputes, subscription cancellations, and account recovery may depend on the developer or the marketplace rather than Apple’s tooling.
Protections Apple is highlighting (including for younger users)
Apple frames the changes as a tradeoff: more distribution and payment choice, but more opportunity for bad actors. To counter that, Apple says it worked with the regulator to introduce protections including Notarization, authorization for app marketplaces, and requirements intended to help protect children from inappropriate content and scams.
Apple also notes these safeguards do not eliminate risk, but are presented as essential for keeping iOS secure while implementing the new options in Brazil.
What developers should do next
Apple points developers to a new Apple Developer Support page covering these capabilities and says developers can begin integrating the changes today as part of iOS 26.5.
For teams shipping games or game-adjacent services in Brazil, the immediate work is less about chasing “new distribution” and more about planning: deciding whether alternative marketplaces make sense, understanding the compliance and operational requirements, and preparing customer support for a world where some users will arrive via non-App-Store flows.
Source and further reading
Source: Apple Newsroom (June 18, 2026).
Read Apple’s full announcement here:
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/06/apple-announces-changes-to-ios-in-brazil/
