The Russian government has decided to make the state-owned Max messenger mandatory for installation on all new smartphones and tablets sold in the country from September 1, 2025. The Guardian reports this.
The app, which is being marketed as an alternative to WhatsApp, can be used to track users, according to critics. Max's developers say it has been downloaded by around 18 million people, although some features are still in the testing phase.
The promotion of Max comes as tensions between Russia and the West escalate over the war in Ukraine and the Kremlin's push to establish greater control over the internet. The Kremlin said Max will integrate with state-run online services and will now be included in the list of mandatory pre-installed apps on all devices sold in the country.
In addition, from September 1, Apple will be required to install the Russian app store RuStore, which is already standard for Android. And from January 1, 2026, all smart TVs in Russia will have the Lime HD TV application pre-installed, providing free access to state TV channels.
State media has sought to dispel concerns that Max is a "spying tool" and has said it requests fewer permissions to access data than WhatsApp and Telegram. At the same time, authorities have already reported the first case of fraud committed through the messenger and reported the arrest of a suspect.
The decision to promote Max coincided with new restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram. Russia has begun blocking some calls on those services, accusing them of refusing to cooperate with law enforcement in cases of fraud and terrorism. WhatsApp, which had 97.3 million users in the Russian Federation in July, said the Kremlin was trying to block access to secure communication. Telegram, with 90.8 million users, said it was actively fighting abuse on its platform.