Apple has officially introduced changes to the iOS ecosystem in Japan to comply with the country’s Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). The cornerstone of this update is the formal opening of the iPhone to alternative app marketplaces. This transition, which arrived with the release of iOS 26.2, allows Japanese developers to operate their own independent storefronts and enables users to download apps entirely outside of Apple’s proprietary App Store.
To facilitate this new landscape, Apple is allowing developers to apply for “Marketplace Developer” status, granting them the ability to build and manage independent app stores. These marketplaces can serve as hubs for a developer’s own software or act as a platform for third-party creators to reach Japanese audiences. Users can even set one of these third-party stores as their default marketplace within the iOS Settings.
Despite this opening of the platform, Apple continues to mandate a security baseline through a process known as Notarization. Every app intended for distribution via an alternative marketplace must undergo this review, which combines automated scans for malware with human oversight to ensure basic functionality and transparency. While this check is less exhaustive than the traditional App Store Review, it is designed to protect users from high-risk threats such as fraudulent schemes and privacy-invading software that might otherwise proliferate in a completely unregulated environment.
The financial model for these new marketplaces introduces the Core Technology Commission (CTC). Under this structure, apps distributed through alternative stores in Japan will pay a 5% commission on the sale of digital goods and services. Apple justifies this fee as a way to recoup its ongoing investment in the iOS infrastructure, developer tools, and the APIs that allow third-party stores to integrate with the operating system. For developers who stick with the App Store but use alternative payment methods, commissions have been lowered to 10% for small businesses and 21% for others, though using Apple’s native payment system adds a further 5% fee.
Users in Japan will now also see a new choice screen during the initial device setup, allowing them to select their preferred web browser and search engine from a list of the most popular options in the region. For the first time, developers of conversational or voice-based apps can also utilize a new Side Button API, which allows users to launch a third-party virtual assistant or conversational service by pressing and holding the iPhone’s side button, providing an alternative to Siri.
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