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iPhone users will soon be forced to share their age to download apps from the App Store. Apple is bringing this new rule starting January 1, 2026 in Texas, US, wherein minors will be barred from accessing the App Store and iPhone features like a regular user.
The company has never been an advocate for breaking privacy laws but it has been compelled to do so because of the recent changes made in the Texas region that comes into effect from early next year. Apple is very focused on privacy, so when the laws force it to bend the rules, it is not pleased and lets the users know about it in the best fashion.
App Store Download Rules For Minors: Here’s The Reason
The new rules are not only applicable for Apple and App Store but other tech giants who serve the minors in the region. Child safety has been the pitch behind the new law, warranting the need for parents/guardians to supervise the use of devices and the internet for their teenage kids.
Companies like Apple have adhered to stringent need for more safety features, as has Meta for Instagram, but these new rules are putting a gated restriction, just because the person is a minor, and Apple will be asking them about their age, something it is clearly not keen on doing.
Developers Making The Changes
Apple is doing its best to make sure that developers are not intruding into the lives of these users. So, it has created an API that lets them check for the age of the person without asking for their actual date of birth. These changes will be available later this year to meet the January 1, 2026 deadline for the new laws in the Texas region.
The company has complied with rules in other regions, so this is not new. The EU laws have forced Apple to allow sideloading of apps in select countries, and also introduced USB C for iPhones and other devices, because the law mandated the change. In fact, Apple has a different view point in China, where it needs the government approvals to launch Apple AI features, and other services.
