Apple Working to Add Support for Sideloading and Alternate App Stores in Europe

[d686546s]

It is easy to comply when doing so will cost you nothing.

This is different. The legislation you cited seems ironclad on paper, and I am no legal expert myself, but I just don’t see Apple complying 100% without also taking the opportunity to insert a few “F U” clauses of their own if they believed they could get away with it.

No doubt Apple will comply ultimately. It’s how they will do so that’s the fun part. 2023 will be a fun year to watch indeed.

I absolutely agree that Apple will probably try every trick in the book to frustrate both the letter and the spirit of the law.

That being said, I also think that Apple will have to tread somewhat carefully because officials, legislators and regulators, whatever you may otherwise think about them, usually do understand when someone is trying to take them for a ride, which just leads to knee-jerk reactions.

It would be in everyone's best interest to try to implement the law in good faith, but I'm with you that it will be interesting to watch.

 

[lk400]

If you don’t understand what this means for end users or you don’t like it, you aren’t the target anyway. This will be great for things like youtube++ and apps that normally require a jailbreak to install and sign.

Seems kind of pointlessly condescending to infer that people who don’t like this don’t understand it. I am certain there are many who do understand it, perhaps even as well as an expert like you, who think it’s a bad idea and don’t want it.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

Love all the sooks here that are scared out of their pants with fantastical scenarios of doom and gloom.

 

[Muzzakus]

The apps you install from alternate app stores will be the same apps you would have installed from the App Store. The only difference is where you downloaded them from. What a prize!

Oh and since every store will most likely not contain every app, you will now have to search more different stores to find what you're looking for. How is that a win?

Just a couple more reasons why alternate app stores are a bag of hurt. For everybody.

Not necessarily. App story policy limits the types of apps, for example virtual machines such as emulators are banned. Now either Apple loosens their store policy to compete or people can still satisfy their need via other means.

Expecting legitimate players such as VMware to enter the space allowing iOS devices to provide full desktop support as needed.

 

[Muzzakus]

Sideloaded apps will still execute safely in a sandbox. How much permission you give each app to access photos, contacts etc will still apply, it’s part of the o/s.

Official side loading is significantly safer than compromising the o/s security via a jailbreak.

 

[2WheelsGood]

You have a choice. Android. I specifically chose iPhone because its locked down. Android is actually far superior to iOS in dozens of ways.

Do you realize how silly this sounds? You think Android is superior, but you wanted an inferior locked-down iPhone, because… because you simply can’t stop yourself from Willy nilly installing random software? 🤔

 

[Mac Rules]

The apps you install from alternate app stores will be the same apps you would have installed from the App Store. The only difference is where you downloaded them from. What a prize!

Oh and since every store will most likely not contain every app, you will now have to search more different stores to find what you're looking for. How is that a win?

Just a couple more reasons why alternate app stores are a bag of hurt. For everybody.

And yet somehow we've survived with the Mac.

 

[Abazigal]

Do you realize how silly this sounds? You think Android is superior, but you wanted an inferior locked-down iPhone, because… because you simply can’t stop yourself from Willy nilly installing random software?

Here’s one scenario. Piracy is less prevalent on iOS, precisely due to how much harder it is to sideload apps, which in turn means more developers choosing to support the platform.

There is good in bad, just as there is bad in good.

 

[User 6502]

About time. Once again apple will have to give in and do what they are told. Slll that arrogance for nothing.

 

[Le0M]

Personally, I've never had a downside in all 14 years that drove me away from the Apple App Store. But of course there are many people who always think that something else has to be better per se.
Are those happier with such an attitude towards life?
I don't necessarily think so.

I think the law in question comes from a place that wants at least for you to have a choice. The best choice might even be the AppStore, but if you can't choose at all than it's a bit against what it's called "free will".

 

[4743913]

Love all the sooks here that are scared out of their pants with fantastical scenarios of doom and gloom.

yes, remember when Android was totally destroyed by apps installed outside of the Play store and google went out of business because none of their phones worked?

 

[2WheelsGood]

Here’s one scenario. Piracy is less prevalent on iOS, precisely due to how much harder it is to sideload apps, which in turn means more developers choosing to support the platform.

When I look though my apps, every single one is available on Android as well, so obviously piracy isn’t keeping devs away from Android en mass.

And the flip side to your argument is the ridiculous 30% Apple tax on developers. You seriously don’t think that stops developers?

 

[Woochoo]

Good luck to anyone who downloads a trojan. You’re on your own from there, well no you’re not because all your contacts and emails will belong to the attacker and they’ll get it too. Dictators, mafias and cyber criminals love phone data.

So... Just like with a Mac? Just use your common sense and don't download crappy apps from fishy sites, I mean it's not that hard nor they are removing the AppStore if you feel so insecure outside Apple's kindergarden

 

[Mrjoedot]

this can't be good for devices
gonna be like Samsung with few bloatware

 

[amartinez1660]

Good luck to anyone who downloads a trojan. You’re on your own from there, well no you’re not because all your contacts and emails will belong to the attacker and they’ll get it too. Dictators, mafias and cyber criminals love phone data.

I wouldn’t be against the idea of having two phone models available, one of them not able to sideload even if held at the software equivalent of a gun point. That way even if half of the phones out there get wrecked, these specific models would be immune to it.

True that maybe some key developers will skip Apple’s AppStore altogether, I guess that would leave a void in the market to fill with a new dev that wants to provide an equivalent one that does work for the AppStore.

 

[dk001]

if you are „dumb“ enough to potentially install malicious software, you are probably too dumb to even enable the sideloading feature. I am sure it will be hidden in some developer settings like on Android.

Also, I have yet to find an App that is not ALSO available on the PlayStore (unless google bans it) so I doubt developers will drop the AppStore. If anything, they will just offer different sources to download their Apps. Thus, also no loss if you choose not to sideload 🤷🏼‍♂️

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if Apple is like „enabling sideloading will deactivate iCloud and / or ApplePay. Do you wish to proceed?“ to „technically“ allow it, but people won’t because of that. Loophole like their home repair solution

Look harder. If you have looked at all.
There are a lot of them. I have quite a few.

 

[ackmondual]

This sounds pretty awesome for some open source apps that won't ever make it to the app store. Obviously it's not smart to download random stuff off the internet, like on any other computer.

For people saying developers will *only* offer their app to be sideloaded, just for perspective: How many big companies have done this on Android and succeeded?

I was thick in the Palm OS ecosystem of the 00s and 10s. For the sake of this discussion, it is comparable to how Android works. You'd have ESD (electronic software distribution) sites which sold these apps. They would take as high as a 65% cut (yes, they take the majority). They had agreements that if they catch you selling your app cheaper elsewhere, they cut you off. Many didn't want this to happen since a lot of people wanted to buy from those sites for some level of trust, but also to have it all curated for them. I think Android's fine.

 

[sir1963nz]

The first personal computer? IBM (USA)

ROTFLMAO.... how about the Altair, TRS-80. Yes they too are US Machines , but your post clearly shows your ignorance of history.

We could talk about
Trains, UK
All the cotton mills etc that the USA stole for their cotton industry
The Russians put the first satellite into space.
The USA has been using Russian rocket engines to get into space.
Large Hadron Collider

etc etc etc

Trust me, the USA is NOT the inventor of everything and certainly not the leader in everything.

 

[dwaite]

The change would allow customers to download apps without needing to use the App Store, which would mean developers would not need to pay Apple's 15 to 30 percent fees, but to start with, Apple is only planning to implement sideloading support in Europe.

To be clear, allowing people to distribute outside the App Store and having developers agree to contractual agreements like profit sharing are not necessarily related.

As long as regulators are setting policy without Apple feedback, Apple is not going to be motivated to give one inch extra.

 

[dk001]

When did Apple threaten to ban Twitter?

Apple Threatens To Remove Twitter From App Store - According To Elon Musk

Elon Musk has claimed that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from the Apple App Store, without providing a reason why.

www.forbes.com

 

[I7guy]

Apple Threatens To Remove Twitter From App Store - According To Elon Musk

Elon Musk has claimed that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from the Apple App Store, without providing a reason why.

www.forbes.com

To be fair that is Musk claiming that Apple etc etc

 

[user002]

I can already see the genius bars and apple support being inundated with calls and appointments for the idiots that thought they knew better and installed something that hijacked all the data bricked their device. I'm sure those people are going to be pleasant to deal with. Haha

Thankfully Apple is a multi-trillion dollar company, so funding for these repair centers should be affordable for them.

 

[Righty McRighterson]

Apple is planning to allow for alternate app stores on iPhones and iPads ahead of European legislation that will require the company to support sideloading, reports Bloomberg.

The change would allow customers to download apps without needing to use the App Store, which would mean developers would not need to pay Apple's 15 to 30 percent fees, but to start with, Apple is only planning to implement sideloading support in Europe.

If other countries introduce similar legislation, alternate app stores could expand beyond the European Union. The United States, for example, is considering legislation that would require Apple to allow sideloading. Apple has claimed that sideloading will "undermine the privacy and security protections" that iPhone users rely on, leaving people vulnerable to malware, scams, data tracking, and other issues.

The European Union's Digital Markets Act that went into effect on November 1 requires "gatekeeper" companies to open up their services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA will have a major impact on Apple's platforms, and it could result in Apple making major changes to the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, Siri, and more. Apple has until March 6, 2024 to comply with the EU's rules.

According to Bloomberg, Apple's software engineering and services employees are working to open up "key elements of Apple's platforms," with Apple using a "significant amount of resources" for the change. Apple is planning for the functionality to be ready for iOS 17 in 2023, which would put it ahead of the deadline. There is a danger that these drastic updates could impact work on new features slated for iOS 17, some employees told Bloomberg.

To protect users from the aforementioned risks of sideloading, Apple is considering implementing security requirements such as verification, a process that it could charge a fee for in lieu of collecting money from app sales. Apple has a verification system on Mac that allows users to be safe while giving them access to apps outside of the Mac App Store.

Apple could open up underlying app frameworks and APIs to third-party app developers, providing deeper access to core system functions and hardware. Third-party apps could in the future get access to camera technologies not available now, and Apple is working to open up NFC in a limited way that could allow for Apple Pay alternatives. Apple is also considering further opening up the Find My network to accessory makers like Tile. As of now, Apple lets third-party device makers create Find My accessories, but there is a requirement that prevents them from working with non-Find My apps and services.

There is an aspect of the Digital Markets Act that would require Apple to allow developers to install third-party payment systems within their apps, and Apple has not yet "made a final decision" on whether it will comply with the rule. Apple is also undecided on how the Messages app might be made available to third-party services, as the DMA requires interoperability between messaging platforms.

Apple has to comply with the Digital Markets Act because the European Union can fine a company as much as 20 percent of its global revenue if the laws are violated. If Apple does not implement the changes, fines could be as high as $80 billion.

In addition to resulting in major changes to the App Store and other Apple services, European legislation is also pushing Apple to adopt USB-C across all of its devices, a change that will be made in 2023.

Article Link: Apple Working to Add Support for Sideloading and Alternate App Stores in Europe

WONDERFUL NEWS FOR ALL iOS USERS!!!!

 

[user002]

Absolutely brilliant news!

My device, my choice what I install and from where.

Pretty much this. Im really not sure why so many people on this forum seem to despise freedom. Respect my freedom do with the device that I paid for as I please, and I'll respect your freedom to stay within Apple's walled garden and not sideload. If you detest freedom, move to Israel or Saudi Arabia.

Its really not that difficult.

 

[user002]

So Apple will allow sideloading but still charge for it… just as I predicted. And they may also have an approval process- how exactly is this different from the App Store? Maybe a lighter touch?

It’s important to remember, for all the people yelling about “openness”, that the iPhone can already sideload. You can sideload- within the app sandbox- with an official Apple developer account. It sounds like Apple may make this process somewhat easier in the EU, that is all. There will be no viruses, no jailbreak tweaks, or anything remotely exciting other than perhaps porn, crypto, racist message boards, and other distasteful apps. Ironically that’s exactly the sort of content EU regulators are always trying to get rid of, and they don’t have a First Amendment. In any case, Apple isn’t going to lose control in any meaningful way.

Wrong, Apple is losing a lot of control. The whole point of enabling third party app support is to bypass Apple's 30% tax and their "gatekeeper" status of the App Store. In other words, an app developer/company can sell apps to consumers with or without Apple's consent. If Apple tries pulling any shenanigans or otherwise attempts to breach the spirit of the law, the EU will be licking its chops at the prospect of fining a multi-trillion dollar company.