Alternative iOS App Stores Only Work for 'Grace Period' When Traveling Outside of EU

[wanha]

Let me see if I understand this...

1) if an EU user travels outside the EU, they lose access to their alternative App Store
2) if a non-EU user travels to the EU, they don't get access to the alternative App Store

Sooooo... is it based on location or is it not based on location?

Me no comprende

 

[CraigJDuffy]

Makes sense to me. EU laws don’t apply outside of the EU.

Except they do, GDPR is an example of this.

I am interested to see how this develops.

 

[C-Dubs]

Looking forward to all the people who download malware on their iPhones and complain… and we find out they used the TEMU alternate App Store! 😂

Also all you people saying “I’ll just go to Android” just do it. Apple knows most people are happy with a phone that just works, and don’t need the complexity and jankyness of Android.

 

[C-Dubs]

Soooo... an EU user travels outside the EU and they lose access to their alternative App Store, but a non-EU user travels to the EU but they don't get access to the alternative App Store?

Make it make sense

It doesn’t. But the EU can’t force their laws on your phone for a good reason- that would be horrible if you had to have your phone change to the host country’s laws every time you entered.

 

[wanha]

To complain about how terrible Apple is and validate their android purchase, of course.

reminds me of a spurned lover that is stalking and badmouthing their ex

 

[CraigJDuffy]

Time to set up my Irish Apple ID and Dublin based VPN ?

I think they are using more sophisticated methods than that, I think they use location services to determine your “ordinarily resident” location and then base it in that

 

[scorpio vega]

And this from a company that's supposed to be all in on security!

they are. You guys wanted them to open up. Can’t have your cake and eat it too.

To quote the pro-alternative App Store proponents
, you don’t have to use alternate stores but if you choose to do so Apple should not be forced to support your choice.

 

[MilaM]

Funny, that Apple thinks they can contain the "spirit" of the DMA physically to the EU. I predict that more countries will follow soon with similar legislation.

 

[Antoniosmalakia]

We don’t need any 3rd party crapstores to begin with. We don’t want IOS to become next android bloat full of malware and viruses.

Can anyone running Android actually confirm that DesiMunda's post is even slightly accurate, because I don't have an Android and never have, and so really wouldn't know what it's like!

 

[scorpio vega]

reminds me of a spurned lover that is stalking and badmouthing their ex

It’s quite sad. I left android in 2016 as my daily driver and I don’t hang out on android sites criticizing android lol.

 

[MilaM]

Except they do, GDPR is an example of this.

I am interested to see how this develops.

I agree. As long as the user was a EU resident when he signed the TOS, I don't see why the law should not apply, even during long stays outside.

 

[Vlad Soare]

you guys wanted apple to be open like android. You got your wish.

Actually, we didn't. It's just a bunch of politicians who did (and who aren't even elected by us).

 

[scorpio vega]

Can anyone running Android actually confirm that DesiMunda's post is even slightly accurate, because I don't have an Android and never have, and so really wouldn't know what it's like!

It’s slightly dramatic but they are not wrong. Android is known for malware and piracy and its easy for users to accidentally install scam apps.

 

[Killerbob]

Time to set up my Irish Apple ID and Dublin based VPN ?

The solution is not only based on IP location (in which case VPN would work). It also takes into consideration GPS signals, Wi-Fi hotspots, internet connections, cell sites, and Bluetooth. Basically all of Location Services is used to determine location. Even if you turn on Airplane Mode, you would have to enable WiFi to use a VPN, and the device would know where it is…

 

[robvalentine]

Anyone else laughing at all the people claiming its security and not revenue?

 

[jdawgnoonan]

Honestly, one of the most annoying things about Samsung phones was having more than one store (Samsung + Play). I also tried other stores, such as the Amazon store when they gave away free apps frequently and that was annoying too. If people are excited about having more stores that is awesome, but I wonder if the day will come when carriers start trying to figure out how to inject crummy stores on users.

All of that said, it does appear that Apple has done everything in their power to make third party app stores more complicated than they are to begin with. See here is the thing, third party app markets on mobile devices are nothing like just getting software from wherever as you are used to on Mac, Linux, or Windows. Mobile apps are sandboxed differently and at least on Android it made for a very inconsistent user experience depending on where an app was acquired.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Guys it is all about Security! The EU is not a tech company and they should not be picking winners and losers! I would like to see the EU try to produce their own smart phone!

Literally impossible. The only reason why all the largest tech companies left the EU is because the regulations pushed them to be either created outside the EU or, if created inside the EU, move outside the EU or be bought by a non-EU company.

Apple’s fine with the EU coding into thier regulations the existence of the iPhone as one of the two only OS providers in the region. Their hardware sales will simply continue to grow!

 

[cyanite]

This will affect tens of thousands of cross-border workers, and students like my daughter who is from Ireland, but goes to college in the UK.

Of course being "from" somewhere isn't enough to qualify so you can definitely argue, I think, that if you study abroad for a semester, say, EU laws won't apply during that period.

 

[scorpio vega]

I agree. As long as the user was a EU resident when he signed the TOS, I don't see why the law should not apply, even during long stays outside.

I’m American. Just because I’m protected by laws here doesn’t mean they necessarily protect me in Moscow

 

[scorpio vega]

Funny, that Apple thinks they can contain the "spirit" of the DMA physically to the EU. I predict that more countries will follow soon with similar legislation.

Hopefully America won’t.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

The lack of ability to update apps while not in the EU is not good enough. It introduces a security hole, as security updates will be parked until the person returns to the EU.

This will affect tens of thousands of cross-border workers, and students like my daughter who is from Ireland, but goes to college in the UK. Ireland is not the only country with a land border with non-EU countries, or who imports/exports students. There will be many people adversely affected by this.

And this from a company that's supposed to be all in on security!

A user choosing an alternative app store is choosing to disregard Apple’s security framework. They get what they get!

 

[j26]

they are. You guys wanted them to open up. Can’t have your cake and eat it too.

To quote the pro-alternative App Store proponents
, you don’t have to use alternate stores but if you choose to do so Apple should not be forced to support your choice.

I'd have no real problem with not being able to download new apps while abroad, but pausing updates while abroad is a security issue, and de facto forcing people who cross borders on a regular basis to remain with Apples App Store. That's against the spirit, and quite probably the letter of the law here.

In fact I might just raise it with the enforcement bodies.

 

[Neg4433]

Can anyone running Android actually confirm that DesiMunda's post is even slightly accurate, because I don't have an Android and never have, and so really wouldn't know what it's like!

Here with a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ I bought some years ago. I installed NordVPN and AdGuard outside of PlayStore using the official APKs through their official websites. So I can block Ads in the System and have my VPN work in all Apps. Something Google wants to prevent for ad revenue. Never had a problem with "Malware" or "Viruses". People forget that Malicious apps slipped through Apple's "Strict" Review team into the AppStore in the past. Just a simple google search will bring you articles of the past with such apps. There is no perfect secure operating system. Just the end user should think before doing some activities online.

 

[iZac]

The solution is not only based on IP location (in which case VPN would work). It also takes into consideration GPS signals, Wi-Fi hotspots, internet connections, cell sites, and Bluetooth. Basically all of Location Services is used to determine location. Even if you turn on Airplane Mode, you would have to enable WiFi to use a VPN, and the device would know where it is…

Yeah I'm really curious how it's going to work. Long story, I used to live in Shanghai for a decade and Apple have a ton of "China specific" services. For instance Apple Maps in China uses a local mapping partner for their data and doesn't search properly for any location outside of China. I managed to trick my iPhone into providing me 'real' Apple Maps by turning off mobile data, location services, restarting the phone and connecting to a US / UK VPN.

I wonder if it's got more sophisticated since then?

 

[scorpio vega]

Can anyone running Android actually confirm that DesiMunda's post is even slightly accurate, because I don't have an Android and never have, and so really wouldn't know what it's like!

Also when you add in the fact that only 14% of active android devices are running the most recent android version (android 14) that means all these phones have even Less security.

That’s 14 percent of 1.5 billion active androids or 210 million out of 1.5 billion android devices Worldwide are properly optimized security wise.

My friend brought his son a new android phone last month that Is running android 12. A version from 2021. He quickly returned and got the son an iPhone 13