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Apple in iOS 17.4 will begin allowing apps in the European Union to be distributed through alternative app stores rather than the iOS App Store, but the Cupertino company warns that this means certain features users have come to rely on will not work as they do for standard App Store apps.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-Clorange.jpg

Restrictions on In-App Purchases in Screen Time will not be available, for example, nor will Family Purchase Sharing for apps and subscriptions that are made outside of the App Store. Ask to Buy is not a supported feature, and universal purchase, a feature that allows apps to work across all of a user's devices, is not offered.

Apple will not be able to offer these features because it will not be facilitating purchases of apps distributed through alternative app stores.

Screen Time, parental controls, and Spotlight will continue to function, according to Apple, but parents will need to adjust to not having access to purchasing restrictions for apps installed outside of the App Store.

Apple also warns that it will not be able to assist users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management and cancelation, violations of user data privacy, abuse, or fraud and manipulations.

Developers or the alternative app marketplace an app was downloaded from will need to handle issues like refunds and subscription cancelations. iPhone and iPad users will be able to choose not to install apps outside of the App Store, of course, and these changes are limited to users in the European Union.


Article Link: Apple Warns That Some Screen Time and Sharing Features Won't Work With Alternative App Distribution in the EU
 
But everyone will still blame them when it happens

Yup, Apple is about to get a lot of flack from users when they can't assist with app support.

Apple also warns that it will not be able to assist users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management and cancelation, violations of user data privacy, abuse, or fraud and manipulations.

Lots of trouble tickets into Apple will get 'stuck" because users won't be able to answer the simple question "Where did you purchase the app from?"

User: "through my phone"
Apple Support: "....ummm...."

This is why Apple's model was "user friendly", and why forcing this "open" marketplace is just gonna be a nightmare for less technical users.

But that's just another problem for Apple to solve.
 
We're a little over an hour into this beta cycle and we're already seeing examples of how the EU mandate is going to ruin things 😂 That was even faster than I thought it would be 😂 Governments have a track record of ruining lots of things they touch. Already seeing signs of yet another thing that will be ruined because of them.
 
But all that never happens, and has never happened in Android according to so many MR folks…
I see this beta cycle being a big wake up call for a lot of people with some realities that they choose to ignore...being realized. Whether or not they'll admit they were wrong is another story...

So many things that the pro "open it up" crowd said would NOT happen...are starting to. Already. Less than two hours into the beta cycle. We haven't even made it to the official release yet and already are seeing things those people said would "never happen". This is a good "I told you so" moment for those of us who said it WOULD happen! And we didn't even have to wait very long 😂
 
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It would be pretty hilarious if, despite all these warnings, "alternative app distribution" turns out to be a big hit anyways. :p

Of course will be popular, but with that popularity is going to come:
  • increased confusion from non-tech-savvy users
  • increased risk for everyone
  • wasted bandwidth since these alternative stores won't support "incremental app updates" that we get through the App Store. Software updates will likely need to be the full app package ... every ... single ... time. I hope I'm wrong about this item, as the delta update are a wonderful thing.
 
Why would they need EU approval?

Well the EU forced them to do all these changes by march but I don’t think they had certain things in mind, especially regarding the fees.

First feedback by Epic:

Sweeney says Apple’s new polices are illegal under the terms of the Digital Market Act, because Apple forces developers to choose between the traditional 15/30% commission terms or an “also-illegal anticompetitive scheme rife with new Junk Fees and new taxes on payments they don’t process”.
 
Well the EU forced them to do all these changes by march but I don’t think they had certain things in mind, especially regarding the fees.

First feedback by Epic:

Sweeney says Apple’s new polices are illegal under the terms of the Digital Market Act, because Apple forces developers to choose between the traditional 15/30% commission terms or an “also-illegal anticompetitive scheme rife with new Junk Fees and new taxes on payments they don’t process”.
Sweeney and Epic should pay dearly for this
 
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