Apple enables sideloading iPhone apps from iOS 17.4 in the EU
Apple will allow iPhone users in the EU to download apps from app stores other than the App Store starting with iOS 17.4. Under the Digital Markets Act, which comes into effect on March 7, Apple will be required to allow sideloading of apps on Apple devices.
From the Apple press release it appears that the tech giant does not fully support this announced change. For example, the iPhone maker believes that allowing other app stores poses a privacy and security risk for users. That’s why Apple is announcing that it is taking additional measures to increase user security, for example by preventing an installed app from launching if it is discovered to contain malware.
In addition to allowing sideloading, app developers are given the option to make in-app purchases not via the App Store, but via a payment service of their choice. When payments are made via Apple’s app store, developers have to pay a commission, which has caused quite a stir in recent years, including from Epic Games and Spotify. The latter announced this week that it will again allow users to take out subscriptions via the iOS app from March.
Developers who choose to enable payments via the App Store will soon have to pay less commission. Now it is still 15 to 30 percent. That will soon be 10 to 17 percent. However, developers of apps with more than 1 million downloads will pay 0.50 euros per installation. According to Apple, this fee applies to less than 1 percent of app developers.
Finally, Apple reports that users who open the Safari browser on their device for the first time will now see a selection screen to choose a default browser. It has long been possible to set another browser as the default on Apple devices, but according to the DMA, users must actively be made aware of alternatives, such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
iOS 17.4 should be released in March for all users with a supported iPhone. The beta version is already available to developers. The above changes only apply to European users. Different rules apply in the United States and other territories.
The Digital Markets Act is an antitrust law that aims to create a level playing field for companies that rely on gatekeepers, consisting of large tech companies such as Apple, but also Google and Meta. This European law must therefore promote fair competition by imposing restrictions on major players. The changes that Apple announces should contribute to a fairer playing field.