Russia orders state-backed MAX app, a ‘WhatsApp rival’, to be pre-installed on phones and tablets
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The app, MAX, will be pre-installed on all “gadgets”, including mobile phones and tablets, sold in Russia from Sept 1.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MOSCOW – A Russian state-backed messenger application called MAX, cast as a rival to WhatsApp which critics say could be used to track users, must be pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets from September 2025, the Russian government said on Aug 21.
The decision to promote MAX comes as Moscow is seeking greater control over the internet space while it is locked in a stand-off with the West over Ukraine, which it casts as part of an attempt to shape a new world order.
The Russian government said in a statement that MAX, which will be integrated with government services, would be on a list of mandatory pre-installed apps on all “gadgets,” including mobile phones and tablets, sold in Russia from Sept 1.
State media says accusations from Kremlin critics that MAX is a spying app are false and that it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram.
It will also be mandatory from the same date for Russia’s domestic app store, RuStore, currently pre-installed on all Android devices, to be pre-installed on all Apple devices, the government said.
An online Russian-language TV app called Lime HD TV, which allows people to watch Russian state TV channels for free, will be pre-installed on all smart TVs sold in Russia from Jan 1, 2025, the government added.
The push to promote homegrown apps comes after Russia said earlier in August it had started restricting some calls on WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, and on Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.
WhatsApp, which in July had a reach of 97.3 million in Russia, responded by accusing Moscow of trying to block Russians from accessing secure communications, while Telegram, which had a reach of 90.8 million users, said it actively combats the harmful use of its platform.
The third most popular messenger app in July, according to Mediascope data, was VK Messenger at 17.9 million users, an offering from the same state-controlled tech company VK, which developed MAX.
MAX said this week that 18 million users had downloaded its app, parts of which are still in a testing phase.
Russia’s interior ministry said on Aug 20 that MAX was safer than foreign rivals, but it had arrested a suspect in the first fraud case using the new messenger. REUTERS
