Pre-installation of RuStore on all Russian devices will become mandatory

On all devices that will be sold in Russia, the RuStore application store must be pre-installed, regardless of the decision of the owner of the operating system. This decision was signed by the government, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers.

“Pre-installation of the Russian app store will be mandatory, even in the event of a ban or restriction on the part of the owner of the operating system or affiliated structures,” the message says (cit. according to TASS).

The government explained that this measure will eliminate cases where equipment manufacturers evade the pre-installation of RuStore. In addition, manufacturers will have to ensure that the Russian app store is displayed on smartphone screens in the same way as programs from other developers. However, the application should be updated automatically and saved when resetting the device to factory settings.

In addition, the Cabinet instructed to make a “pre-installed version of a single application store” free of charge in the process of use.

The RuStore app store was launched in May 2022 amid sanctions due to the start of a special operation in Ukraine and the removal of a number of Russian apps from the App Store and Google Play. VK is developing it together with other IT companies with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development. RuStore is an analogue of Google Play, it is available only for Android devices.

Now, in total, the platform has more than 6,000 applications from Russian and foreign publishers, including TikTok, Opera Mini and Skype Lite. According to April data, since May 2022, the monthly audience of the store has grown to 10 million people. At the end of May in VK reportedthat adapt RuStore to work on TVs, set-top boxes and tablets. In addition, monetization tools will become available for individuals.