The State Duma announced new requirements for the sale of smartphones from September 1.

Starting from September 1, 2025, gadget manufacturers will be required to provide users with free access to the Russian RuStore app store. This was announced on August 8 by Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy and federal coordinator of the Digital Russia party project.

"Starting from September 1, 2025, new rules for the sale of smartphones, tablets and other devices with mandatory pre-installation of software will come into force in Russia. According to the amendments to the Law on Consumer Rights Protection, manufacturers and sellers are required to provide users with the opportunity to freely download, update and pay for applications from the Russian RuStore store," RIA Novosti quoted the official as saying.

The MP added that any restrictions on the operation of pre-installed software or applications from RuStore would be considered a violation of the law. As Nemkin noted, this law is aimed at those manufacturers who do not allow the installation of other store applications, for example, Apple.

In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the law, according to the official, the gadget will be considered substandard, and the buyer will be able to demand various kinds of compensation for the device.

Apple of contention: The State Duma ordered Apple to install RuStore on devices

The deputies believe that the company has the technical capabilities to integrate the Russian app store.

Earlier, on July 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that would prohibit the American company Apple from preventing the installation of the unified Russian RuStore app store on its smartphones, tablets and other devices. The relevant document is posted on the official Internet portal of legal information. The document regulates the distribution of software used by citizens on various devices, from smartphones to tablets. In particular, it aims to make it possible for Apple to install RuStore on its products.

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