If you haven’t checked the App Store in a while, here’s a surprise for you. Russia’s national messenger, which everyone was used to calling MAX, has changed its name in the Apple App Store. Now the app page proudly displays “МАКС: общение, звонки, сервисы” (MAKS: communication, calls, services). Entirely in Cyrillic. Without a single Latin letter.
But the app icon still hasn’t been renamed
Why MAX Was Renamed to МАКС
The reason is actually quite obvious. Since March 1, 2026, Russia has enforced Federal Law No. 168-FZ on the protection of the Russian language. It requires that all consumer-facing information in public spaces be presented in Russian. Signs, directions, advertising materials — everything must be in Cyrillic.
Formally, the law does not require translating trademarks. But it would be strange for a messenger that positions itself as a national product of Russia to continue using Latin script. Especially when the developer’s legal entity is already registered as OOO “МАХ” — three Russian letters М, А, Х.
Multiple Names for the МАКС Messenger
The naming situation with the messenger is quite confusing. The legal entity is OOO “МАХ,” which formally reads as “Makh” with a Russian “Х.” But the brand is pronounced as “Maks.” In the App Store, the app is now called МАКС — with a К. Meanwhile, the developer is still listed as MAX LLC.
The name in the App Store has already been changed
So we have an interesting situation: the legal entity is “МАХ,” the brand is “МАКС,” and the developer in the App Store is MAX LLC. Three different spellings of the same product. However, users couldn’t care less — the messenger works the same no matter what you call it.
What Changed in the МАКС App
Besides the name, the app description has also been fully Russified. The developers highlight the messenger’s features: messaging, calls, stickers, voice messages, Digital ID for age and status verification, document management, and integration with the Sferum educational platform.
Google Play also has the new name
It’s also worth noting that the app holds first place in the “Social Networking” category in the App Store and has over 2 million ratings. Considering that MAX has been actively promoted by the government since September 2025, this is hardly surprising.
The Russian Language Law Affected MAX’s Name in the App Store
Law No. 168-FZ has already changed the look of Russian cities: signs are being massively translated into Cyrillic, residential complexes are being renamed, and advertising materials are being redone. Now it’s the turn of app stores.
МАКС was also renamed on the official website
Interestingly, Apple at one point registered its Russian legal entity as OOO “ЭППЛ РУС” — simply transliterating the name into Cyrillic without any extra tricks. VK had a harder time with the messenger: the name “Макс” in the legal entities registry was already taken by another company with a similar type of activity. So they had to register as “МАХ.” And in the App Store — write “МАКС.” Elegant, to say the least.
Essentially, renaming MAX to МАКС is just another step toward full Russification. Functionally, nothing has changed. But symbolically, this gesture is telling: even within Apple’s ecosystem, Russian apps now speak Russian.
