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

[ejbrennan]

nope nope nope. if your app is not in the apple app store i will not be using it

and lucky for you, you won't have to - but those that want to, will be able to - its a win-win.

 

[AppleTO]

I think I’ll just stick to the App Store thanks.

 

[CptSky]

I personally don't care / need alternate App Stores or sideloading, so I just hope I won't have to manage apps from the Apple Store, Google Store, Microsoft Store, Meta Store, Epic Store, etc, or even worse, have to manually update apps that are too cheap to be on any store.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

I understand Apple's reasoning behind the App Store being safer, the problem is that it just doesn't work that way anymore. There are tons of scam apps in the App Store. Apple's system model is already so locked down that most of the protections are on-device anyway. And they have been overly restrictive in just about every way with their control of the App Store.

I used to be against sideloading, but now I say bring it on. Apple these days does not do the right thing on its own when it comes to software policies, by and large.

If they are to be the sole gatekeeper to software on the iPhone, they have to be good stewards, and they simply have not been. Especially lately, it's more about money and control than about the user. I don't want to have to switch to Android to run reasonable software simply because Apple's policies don't allow it.

Your reasoning is ‘Airport security accidentally allowed a terrorist into the country, therefore screw airport security. They failed a few times, so let’s just have no more airport security.’

 

[ejbrennan]

That’s a best case scenario.

Now think of a country like Russia. It says ‘**** your security requirements Apple. We want complete sideload and we want our government apps on every citizen’s phone’

Then another country copies the Russian example, and another, and another. Then we end up with half the world’s iPhones under surveillance.

So your hopium about secure freedom of sideloading fails. An autocrat regime will simply take all phone data and organised crime will feed on it too.

Do they do this for the computers people own? then why is this different?

 

[Homme]

Biggest shock I’ve ever known in a long time

 

[sracer]

I hope that sideloading and alternate app store support comes to the US.

For those who are fearful of bad things happening, don't worry, Apple will disable these capabilities by default and require the user to go through one or more prompts (with warnings) in order to enable it.

But as with any new feature that is added, there will be those who don't want anyone else to have that feature if they themselves won't be using it.

 

[mrat93]

I can’t wait for viral videos to come out of Europe which showcase all the cool things you can do on iPhone and iPad there, but not anywhere else in the world, because, Apple.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

Somehow those of us who own pc's and macs have managed to navigate this possible problem for 20+ years.

No we haven’t. We have had terrible viruses, compromised systems, locked down and hacked hospitals and colleges, and ransomware. What planet have you been on? There have never been safe desktop computers and we have been fighting this cat and mouse game more and more each year.

 

[roar08]

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[BootsWalking]

You prove the point. So why laugh?

Your phone isn’t living in isolation. If it is compromised all your contacts are also compromised. There have been journalists whose phones have been hacked for family details. Their families were threatened to silence the journalists.

FUD. They were comprised due to security bugs in iOS, which were achieved using Apple-verified AppStore apps. Has nothing to do with how the app was loaded onto the phone.

 

[4743913]

I can’t wait for viral videos to come out of Europe which showcase all the cool things you can do on iPhone and iPad there, but not anywhere else in the world, because, Apple.

omg. starting a youtube channel right now for this.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

FUD.

Ah. A crypto bro.

It’s always a crypto bro.

 

[Rogifan]

US next, for better or for worse.

What is the difference between another App Store and buying something in a browser (which tens of millions of people do every day)?

 

[mrat93]

to put it simply. you will have the power to install software on a device you purchased. just like you do on a mac.

Not even close, IMO… Mac apps allow you to change the core functionality of the OS and other features.

This will still be extremely watered down compared to what’s currently capable on Mac.

 

[Cyberius11]

nope nope nope. if your app is not in the apple app store i will not be using it

The good news is you will have that option. You can choose not to side load or use alternate stores, so nothing will change for you. Those who wish to use the new options, will now have that option. Multiple choices are good for competition and for consumers.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Now bring it to the US. I've waited a long time for this.

 

[Analog Kid]

Meta is doing cartwheels right now, I'm sure. The EU is about to reopen the spigot to that sweet, sweet user data...

 

[Rogifan]

Not at all:

"To help protect against unsafe apps, Apple is discussing the idea of mandating certain security requirements even if software is distributed outside its store. Such apps also may need to be verified by Apple — a process that could carry a fee. Within the App Store, Apple takes a 15% to 30% cut of revenue. "

You think the EU is going to allow Apple to keep charging 15% and 30% by just calling it a verification fee?

 

[Rogifan]

I was previously against opening iOS up. But more recently see this as the right move. Apple threatening to ban twitter was the obvious example where Apple proved themselves as nothing but a greedy censor. Yes sure they back-pedaled quickly on that... because they realized how ugly it looked. Does not mean it wont happen again in the future.

When did Apple threaten to ban Twitter?

 

[Danfango]

How did so many of you ever manage to use a computer at all without safety rails protecting your every move. If I've learned nothing else over the last 25 years in this industry: The irrational fear that people have about technology and the steadfast unwillingness to take control of their own op sec.

There's nothing wrong with the App Store. It's a great service. I'm sure it will continue to be the dominant method for downloading software onto iOS devices. But this pearl clutching over those of us in the fringes who understand both the power and responsibility of going outside of the cattle pen is just too much. Boogie men behind every corner.

Having spent a big chunk of my life fixing computers, most people never did manage to use a computer without the safety rails. I've seen ransomware infected crap, no backups, spam toolbars half way down the screen, CPU rammed at 100% due to malware fighting with malware, all sorts. I've seen a couple of people cry because they lost something really really damn important. The worst was the woman who lost literally all the photos of her dead daughter. That is the norm not the exception unfortunately. Most people who post in IT or vendor forums are at least power users so the perception of what is actually out there is skewed.

We need safety rails by default and a lot of people suffer heavily from the Dunning-Kruger effect, vastly overestimating their ability to make a decision that isn't going to hurt themselves.

This is another footgun for 90% of users. Another damn downward spiral.

 

[Compile 'em all]

Good luck… unfortunately your bank, company, etc. are going to bypass it, and you cannot leave them. Eurocrats don’t know how to create tech, so they just destroy it.

What are you rambling on about? If you have no idea what this is about may be you should just not comment.

To all those keyboard warriors commenting on how this is bad. This ISNT BAD. Just like the EU getting you USBC on iPhones (please explain how this is bad for you), having “the choice” where to download apps from is good for customers. I don’t see you weeping on how macOS been working since the dawn of time. Just like downloading apps on the Mac from the web or the App Store you will have the option also on iOS. No one forces you to download apps from the web on macOS.

 

[BootsWalking]

You think the EU is going to allow Apple to keep charging 15% and 30% by just calling it a verification fee?

No I don't, and that's not what the article says. The fee will likely be small and would have to be fixed rather than a percentage, since Apple wouldn't be able to control the distribution of the app to meter a percentage fee.

 

[Naraxus]

Meta is doing cartwheels right now, I'm sure. The EU is about to reopen the spigot to that sweet, sweet user data...

The sky is also falling if you didn't know

 

[erikkfi]

nope nope nope. if your app is not in the apple app store i will not be using it

You’ll still have that option.