Apple will open the iPhone and iPad to third-party app stores in Japan with the release of iOS 26.2, following a new ruling from Japan’s Fair Trade Commission requiring both Apple and Google to permit alternative app marketplaces on their platforms.
The change, first spotted in the latest developer beta of iOS 26.2, will allow users in Japan to download apps from marketplaces beyond Apple’s own App Store, such as the AltStore PAL and Epic Games Store — mirroring the regulatory approach already in place across the European Union.
Once the update rolls out, Japan will become the 29th country where Apple supports third-party app marketplaces, joining the 27 EU member states and Brazil. Australia is also preparing legislation that could require similar changes.