May 7, 2025 – Today, tech media outlet The Verge highlighted a new legislative move in the United States, as a Florida congresswoman introduced a bill that could reshape the mobile app ecosystem. Republican Representative Kat Cammack from Florida has put forward the “App Store Freedom Act,” a proposal aimed squarely at major app store operators, including Apple’s App Store.
The legislation targets companies with over 100 million users in the U.S., seeking to dismantle current monopolistic practices and inject greater competition into the mobile app market. By doing so, it aims to offer consumers a wider array of choices when it comes to downloading and using apps.
Should the bill gain approval, tech giants like Apple would be compelled to permit users to install third-party app stores on their devices, with the option to set these as defaults. Additionally, developers would gain equal access to development tools currently restricted to platform operators and would be free to integrate third-party payment systems into their apps.
Under the proposed law, app stores would be barred from mandating the use of their in-house payment systems by developers. They would also be prohibited from imposing unfair pricing requirements or penalizing developers for distributing their apps through alternative channels. Violations of these provisions could result in significant penalties from the Federal Trade Commission, including civil fines of up to $1 million per incident.
This initiative reflects growing concerns over the control exerted by a handful of companies over the mobile app distribution landscape and the potential consequences for competition and consumer choice. The “App Store Freedom Act” could mark a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over tech regulation and market fairness.
