You pay that price in order to access the SDKs, app signing, developer community, app review, app hosting on the app store (even if you don't want to use it), test flight. Apple offers a lot of service for a (honestly) decent price.
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Apple Announces Ability to Download iPhone Apps From Websites in EU
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You pay that price in order to access the SDKs, app signing, developer community, app review, app hosting on the app store (even if you don't want to use it), test flight. Apple offers a lot of service for a (honestly) decent price.
I got super excited until I read this bit:
“…providing they meet Apple's specific criteria, such as being a member of the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more and having an app with more than one million first installs on iOS in the EU in the prior year, and commit to ongoing requirements, such as publishing transparent data collection policies. Apps distributed in this way must meet Apple's notarization requirements like all other iOS apps and can only be installed from a web domain registered in App Store Connect.”
This is still a mighty entry barrier, IMO, as opposed to just putting an IPA file on the developers website and letting users download and install it, as we can do with apps in macOS.
And, what about iPadOS? Keeping these welcome changes all to iOS really discourages developers to put extra work in just for one OS.
“…providing they meet Apple's specific criteria, such as being a member of the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more and having an app with more than one million first installs on iOS in the EU in the prior year, and commit to ongoing requirements, such as publishing transparent data collection policies. Apps distributed in this way must meet Apple's notarization requirements like all other iOS apps and can only be installed from a web domain registered in App Store Connect.”
This is still a mighty entry barrier, IMO, as opposed to just putting an IPA file on the developers website and letting users download and install it, as we can do with apps in macOS.
And, what about iPadOS? Keeping these welcome changes all to iOS really discourages developers to put extra work in just for one OS.
Yes. I love when I get a new Mac, I sign in to my Apple ID, all my apps are available right from the App Store to download.
I hate having to track down apps downloaded from third party sources and managing different licenses and keys.
None of this is about improving the user experience. All of this is about companies fighting for profit margin.
I would not complain paying the price, if my goal was to publish on the App Store. But I don't need all those features.
Well, not quite, due to all Apple’s conditions listed in the article.
What you missed is "hey you want our app" happens when you are already on the website itself - otherwise how are you hearing about this app for a service you already use?
So in reality:
"hey you want our app?" - "yeah" - "download"
lower friction than the app store, and the way software has worked for 30 years prior, and still continues to work on the Mac.
I can download the Android SDK for Java and write applications in different IDEs without Google trying to rip me off. If they want to charge for their xCode IDE do it but don't expect smaller developers to stay and develop on your platform with the current behaviour.
There are many very useful apps that just don't work when they are installed through the App Store on Mac due to numerous restrictions it puts on them. The licensing is also much more restricted. For very simple utility type apps I agree with you. At least for me my Mac would be far less usefull if I only had access to Apps from the App Store.
It makes sense that Apple is not going to just let anybody host their own iOS app on their website and let things devolve into a free-for-all. I suppose that if you meet the criteria, you should be a pretty established developer with a proven track record and the chances of you doing something nefarious is way lower?
That does seem to be one way in which Apple is attempting to mitigate the overall risk to their platform here.
The EU isn't going to back off until you allow us to drag and drop an IPA file to our phone without limitations, Apple. All you can do is postpone it as much as you can.
The price of the hardware will just go up.
Then get yourself an Android, nobody is forcing you to stay with Apple.
Also good luck running an App on android without a signed package. And then go look at how much code signatures cost.
(code signing certificates usually start around $300 a year, and those won't even get you past the Windows Smart Filter, you'll soon see that Apple's solution is actually quite cheap)
You just sound like "I don't want to pay to use tools and services that are offered to me" And well, that is just not how it works. Not even in the EU.
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But the EU doesn't think iPhone users know how to search for web sites. That was their core rationale for the $2 billion fine for Apple: EU users wouldn't know that Spotify had a web site without specifically being told inside the app.
The only thing they are mitigating is the risk to their bottom line.
I’m sure it has to be spelled out that risk to the platform means being able to use the platform for nefarious reasons and apple can’t stop it. I’m sure even the eu doesn’t want that.
Can someone explain why all of this only applies to iPhone?
The two are not mutually exclusive. In the very least, users shouldn't run the risk of accidentally downloading malware via Facebook ad links.
Wow!!! Just WOW!!! Is this NEW?
I mean, this was unexpected, we were expecting third party app stores, but I didn’t read anything regarding direct download of apps from websites!
As one of the first comments says, this puts iPadOS closer to macOS… Oh wait! wait… This is also exclusive to iOS, right? Damn, I need this for iPadOS, I only use my iPhone mainly for communication stuff. Damn…
I mean, this was unexpected, we were expecting third party app stores, but I didn’t read anything regarding direct download of apps from websites!
As one of the first comments says, this puts iPadOS closer to macOS… Oh wait! wait… This is also exclusive to iOS, right? Damn, I need this for iPadOS, I only use my iPhone mainly for communication stuff. Damn…
Maybe because if this was allowed for iPadOS, it could seriously rival macOS, because it would be less constrained/limited.
Some restrictions need to be in place, I don't negate that. But the bar that Apple proposes here is very (too) high.
Because only iOS was designated gatekeeper status. iPadOS does not have enough users to count as one, and is therefore not subject to the DMA.
Not gonna happen. The only advantage for us to use it is to get people (that are not already on the App Store) to download the App instantly from our website.
However, does not seem like it will work like on Android where you can click "install" on your laptop and it will automatically install on the phone so yea, the value proposition is kind of not there haha + no iPad support