iOS 17.4 Beta Adds New App Verification Screen to App Store in EU [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Update — 10:09 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple says the App Store showing an app verification screen in the EU is a bug and will be fixed before iOS 17.4 is released to all users. Original story follows.

Starting with the latest iOS 17.4 beta, Apple asks iPhone users in the EU to verify an app's information before installing it from the App Store. The prompt was spotted by Dimitris Sartzetakis of @iSWUpdates and others.

iOS 17.4 will allow iPhone users in the EU to install apps from so-called "alternative app marketplaces," and the verification screen will appear in those storefronts too. Apple is likely aiming to avoid anticompetitive complaints by also showing the prompt in its own App Store, should it remain in the public release of iOS 17.4.

Apple previously announced that iOS 17.4 will be released in March, and the App Store changes only apply in the 27 countries that are part of the EU, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and others. Notably, the UK left the EU in 2020.

Article Link: iOS 17.4 Beta Adds New App Verification Screen to App Store in EU [Updated]

 

[LoveTo]

Will there be Blue Install button/Green Install button situation? I wouldn’t be surprised.

 

[KRBM]

A scare screen for EVERY storefront because Apple just really wants to have a scare screen?

Goodbye, my EU profits 😢

 

[swiftapplefan]

Apple is so pity. The App Store was so seamless, and now I have to get through another splash screen when installing an app from the OFFICIAL store. It’s so annoying, and it’s not like they had to put the splash screen in the App Store for equality, since you don’t get a prompt on android after installing from the play store, only from apks.

 

[mvwoensel]

Under the Digital Markets Act, self-preferencing is illegal. That's why users will see this screen before installing apps from any app store, including Apple's own store.

However, users can disable this: "Users can manage their default marketplace through a new default setting. Certain platform features for finding and using apps like Spotlight are integrated with a user’s default marketplace. App installation sheets are automatically turned off for installations from a user’s default marketplace."

 

[SanderEvers]

It's basically the same EU ideocracy as the "cookiebanner" each website has these days. Nobody reads them, just clicks on install. And the worst part is, it annoys most people.

 

[KRBM]

Under the Digital Markets Act, self-preferencing is illegal. That's why users will see this screen before installing apps from any app store, including Apple's own store.

Nothing wrong with forbidding self-preferencing here, the issue is that Apple is choosing to introduce scare screens. They could have adhered to just allowing third party stores but they went above and beyond to add a negative factor in the download flow - most likely to later tell everyone that the EU measures decreased downloads rate when they brought that on themselves.

It's basically the same EU ideocracy as the "cookiebanner" each website has these days. Nobody reads them, just clicks on install. And the worst part is, it annoys most people.

Again, there’s no directive from the EU that Apple has to do this - this is solely Apple’s choice.

 

[iOS Geek]

Nothing wrong with forbidding self-preferencing here, the issue is that Apple is choosing to introduce scare screens. They could have adhered to just allowing third party stores but they went above and beyond to add a negative factor in the download flow - most likely to later tell everyone that the EU measures decreased downloads rate when they brought that on themselves.

Verifying information is a scare screen? Sure, ok... A scare screen would be warning the dangers of doing this. Not asking you to verify what you're downloading is what you intended to. Stop making things up.

Scary? No. Annoying pain in the neck? Absolutely. But serves the EU right! They meddled in something they should've stayed out of and now there's a worse experience because of it. Saw that coming from a mile away!

 

[SanderEvers]

Again, there’s no directive from the EU that Apple has to do this - this is solely Apple’s choice.

There is also no directive that a website needs a cookiebanner / cookiewall. However almost every website has one these days. It's the same. It's stupid. It annoys. And it doesn't do what you actually want it do.

And this is because of how the EU makes these legislation.

 

[dabi]

You can really tell how pissed Apple is about DMA, to the point they're removing features and adding pointless additional steps for EU users. They could've used DMA to make their platform better and more open like macOS, but instead the response is just the most bad faith interpretation possible. Such a shame.

 

[DannyGGG]

Again, there’s no directive from the EU that Apple has to do this - this is solely Apple’s choice.

They’re talking about cookie settings screens on the open web. Nothing to do with Apple.

 

[cableguy84]

Hoping UK doesn’t get sideloading

 

[contacos]

not sure how this is supposed to verify or tell me anything like anyone can just create a fake screen shot of PayPal for example

 

[AlexESP]

Nothing wrong with forbidding self-preferencing here, the issue is that Apple is choosing to introduce scare screens. They could have adhered to just allowing third party stores but they went above and beyond to add a negative factor in the download flow - most likely to later tell everyone that the EU measures decreased downloads rate when they brought that on themselves.

Yes, it's a scare screen, and it's Apple's decision. However, it's not a negative factor in the download flow - at least not in the context the EU has created. The alternative is not showing any scare screen, not just in the App Store but in ANY store. And we know that it doesn't matter how many scare screens, toggles, etc. you include: many people will still continue. But not having them is even worse, so the best scenario is to make the EU regulation as less harmful as possible.

 

[one more]

Hopefully this will be easy to disable, as per post #5 above.

 

[erikkfi]

Just like the full-screen app verification window that pops up on the Mac when you install whatever you want on that platform without Apple needing to know or taking a cut it doesn't deserve.

 

[KRBM]

…But serves the EU right! They meddled in something they should've stayed out of and now there's a worse experience because of it. Saw that coming from a mile away!

Say it with me: this is solely Apple’s choice.

Yes, it's a scare screen, and it's Apple's decision. However, it's not a negative factor in the download flow - at least not in the context the EU has created. The alternative is not showing any scare screen, not just in the App Store but in ANY store. And we know that it doesn't matter how many scare screens, toggles, etc. you include: many people will still continue. But not having them is even worse, so the best scenario is to make the EU regulation as less harmful as possible.

Mac doesn’t have a scare screen quite like this, why would iOS need it?

 

[iOS Geek]

Say it with me: this is solely Apple’s choice.

Say it with me: This wouldn't have even been a possibility if the EU kept their noses out.

Sure...it was Apple's choice. But it is a choice that wouldn't have even been thought of if the EU left things alone. This can all be tied back to their incessant need to meddle in everything.

 

[diego.caraballo]

A new nightmare for the EU citizens after the cookies fiasco.

 

[coffeemilktea]

Well, if there's one bright spot in all of this, at least Apple's scare screen looks nicer than the plain popup box Android users get when they try to sideload apps. 🤪

 

[iOS Geek]

Mac doesn’t have a scare screen quite like this, why would iOS need it?

Repeatedly calling it a "scare screen" doesn't make it so. A "scare screen" would be a warning of the dangers of it. Not asking you to verify what you're downloading.

And by the way...I've had to verify downloads on Mac before. Even on a non-Mac...my work computer, for example...I have to verify every. Single. Download. A notice to verify what you're downloading isn't a new concept.

 

[KRBM]

Say it with me: This wouldn't have even been a possibility if the EU kept their noses out.

Sure...it was Apple's choice. But it is a choice that wouldn't have even been thought of if the EU left things alone. This can all be tied back to their incessant need to meddle in everything.

This borders on victim blaming. You’re saying that you deserved to be punched in the face because you gave someone an opportunity to think of the option.

 

[cableguy84]

All this fuss for a feature 95% of users won’t use after the first month

 

[ApAx]

A new nightmare for the EU citizens after the cookies fiasco.

View attachment 2352263

Hopefully Apple doesn't force this over to U.S. users. Most websites don't pay to maintain separate sites for EU only traffic, so just about every website here in the u.s. hides content behind cookie preference screens.

 

[iOS Geek]

All this fuss for a feature 95% of users won’t use after the first month

Percentage may be even higher than that. Wasn't there an article sometime recently saying the percentage of Android users who side load is less than 1%?

Funny thing is I just came across this...

Google starts blocking users from sideloading certain apps in Singapore | TechCrunch

Google has started a new program to prevent users from sideloading certain apps in Singapore to reduce financial scams.

techcrunch.com

You get a pop-up asking to verify if you want to download (just like Apple is doing here), but after hitting "install"...you get another pop-up saying it didn't download and was blocked. So it looks to me that Apple isn't the only one who's not a fan of side-loading! Google is going to the extreme of blocking the download even if you verify that you WANT it! This article is from two weeks ago...so there we have it! Even Google is starting to crack down on side-loading. Maybe the EU forcing it to be allowed isn't such a great thing after all.