Russia has announced that starting September 1, all smartphones and tablets sold in the country will be required to come preinstalled with MAX, a state-developed messaging app, as well as RuStore, Russia’s domestic app store. This mandate will apply across both Android and Apple devices, forcing iPhones and iPads to include the apps as default features.

MAX is being integrated with government service platforms, though it has been repeatedly accused of being a surveillance tool — allegations denied by state media. The move is part of a broader Kremlin effort to tighten control over communication, following recent restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram voice calls. WhatsApp remains Russia’s most widely used messenger with over 97 million users, but MAX has reported 18 million and is expected to grow under this mandate.

This decision signals Russia’s increasing push to centralize digital infrastructure under state oversight, effectively sidelining foreign platforms. The first reported arrest of a MAX user for alleged fraud underscores growing fears that such apps will be used as instruments of surveillance and suppression, cementing government power over digital life in Russia.

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SOURCE: Reclaim the Net