Apple faces fresh pressure in Brazil after a federal court reinstated a ruling requiring the tech giant to allow iPhone users to sideload apps within 90 days. The decision, reported by Valor Econômico, marks the latest twist in a two-year legal battle over App Store restrictions.

　Last November, Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ordered Apple to let developers link to external payment methods and enable alternative app distribution, calling its current rules anti-competitive. Apple initially won a temporary pause on the changes in March, but today’s reversal puts the company back on the clock.

　The case began in 2023 after e-commerce leader MercadoLibre accused Apple of stifling competition by blocking third-party app stores. CADE’s original 90-day deadline was frozen following Apple’s appeal, but the court has now revived the mandate.

　If enforced, the ruling would force Apple to overhaul its App Store policies in Brazil — a move the company has fiercely resisted globally. Similar battles in the U.S. and EU have already pushed Apple to allow limited sideloading in those regions.

　Legal experts say Apple could appeal again, but recent setbacks, including a loss to Epic Games in U.S. courts, suggest tougher roadblocks ahead. “This back-and-forth shows regulators aren’t backing down,” said a São Paulo-based tech analyst.

　Brazil’s 217 million people represent a key market for Apple, which opened its first Brazilian store in 2024. The company has not yet commented on the ruling.

　Reporting via MacMagazine and Valor Econômico.