iPhone App Sideloading Coming to Users in the EU in First Half of 2024

[TheToolGuide]

Obviously you weren’t downloading from trusted sources then. When I had an Android for 8+ years I side loaded all the time and never had an issue.

Just like anything if you don’t use common sense and download anything from anywhere then you’ll run into trouble. Download from trusted sources and you’ll be perfectly safe.

People have been doing it for years on Android, Windows, Linux, and MacOS. So why do people need their hand held with iOS??

Apple obviously doesn’t care about sideloading on MacOS but they do on iOS…I wonder why? Because they will lose money.

I hope people who are against sideloading also don’t have a Mac….

The point is that people do get garbage apps and compromisend privacy in an open system. So while you are good at detecting others aren’t and will be victims of it. Also while it may start out pretty simple and easy to protect yourselves the abundance of garbage will only multiply. Similar to how you go on to the internet and now a ton of sites are filled with ads and click bait links. This to will happen to the Apple ecosystem. This happens on the internet along with the Android ecosystem.

So while Apple certainly makes money off of their system they also want to protect its branding from external sources like those listed above. On a long enough timescale everyone will become a victim of some sort of scam. The severity of the scam will be negligible for some but not for others.

The other thing thats just silly and frustrating about all of this is because people claim it’s needed. There will be some who will take advantage of it and thats great, don’t know why they didn’t just get an Android if they really wanted it, and a lot more will never use it.

This is mostly political and really about Apple’s 30 and 15 percent cut. If anything should’ve been regulated it should‘ve been that.

 

[ceriess]

without this legislation, the Vision Pro would lack the necessary component for success; porn apps. The timing is flawless.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

I want this on my phone in United States.

they censor apps too. it's about the money, then they censor also. ie Unjected (non covid vaxxed dating)

 

[MilaM]

The point is that people do get garbage apps and compromisend privacy in an open system.

Ok. So let's live in the prison, because we could get robbed on the street 🙄. I'm exaggerating of course.

But seriously. There are so many apps on the app store that scam people using subscriptions and Apple Payments system. Apple is really not that good at finding those apps and removing them. Maybe they are even happy about them because they make money off those scams.

 

[TheToolGuide]

Fortunately iOS is designed to sandbox and block apps from accessing things that either Apple or the user don't want an app to access, this shouldn't change with sideloading.

You would think, but the problem I foresee is this sideloading apps won’t be vetted. Say what you want about Apple’s vetting system but imagine what it does catch that you don’t become victim to.

Poor programmed apps that get installed aside and think of all the ways developers can collect data by not adhering to Apple’s requirements. As good as Apple’s iOS is there are still plenty of ways software developers could compromise an iPhone‘s information by just ignoring Apple’s requirements.

This is really about money. Folks on one side say Apple wants it all for themself. Folks on the other side say big companies want to harvest it for themselves and have access to your data.

If you’re smart you’ll realize that this is about protecting and maintaining a stable ecosystem from the outside. It’s a walled garden because it keeps the weeds out. That being said I have nothing against regulating Apple’s piece of the pie when it comes to its fees and payment methods. But its really the user information everyone wants that Apple is trying to protect

 

[H2SO4]

About time! Thanks EU.

Hope it comes to the UK… lol

And for those who are about to wail and moan: don’t use it. Simple!

lol, I'd never thought of that. I still think when I hear, "EU has done X", that it includes us. Muscle memory.

 

[webkit]

This hasn't shown to be significantly true in the Android world.

The iOS app world is more lucrative than the Android app world and therefore could create a greater incentive for alternatives/competition. However, I still don't see the "popular" or "best" apps abandoning the App Store anytime soon as the other poster was envisioning. Apple's App Store should still have value to users and developers going forward.

 

[BradMacPro]

I hate how we’ve been tricked into using the word ‘sideloading’ which suggests it’s something dodgy and dangerous to do. In my day it was called ‘installing’.

I'm sure many Android users enjoy installing malware, ransomware and trojans and viruses. I hope EU iPhone users will be smarter.

 

[Johnny Steps]

I guess people crave those days of having a jailbroken device. If apps start moving off Apple’s platform, I just won’t use them. I like the idea of Apple’s closed off environment. If I wanted emulators or whatever, I would use a dedicated device like my Steam Deck.

 

[webkit]

EU taxing +30% VAT for $1200 iPhone = good
Apple adding +30% to your $9.99 app = bad

Okay, EU

But isn't VAT revenue largely used to at least try to help benefit citizens through various government healthcare, education, infrastructure, defense, social services, etc. programs?

 

[TheToolGuide]

Ok. So let's live in the prison, because we could get robbed on the street 🙄. I'm exaggerating of course.

But seriously. There are so many apps on the app store that scam people using subscriptions and Apple Payments system. Apple is really not that good at finding those apps and removing them. Maybe they are even happy about them because they make money off those scams.

Imagine what Apple is catching before that even gets on there. Say what you want about their slow or ineffectiveness in catching everything but it does catch a lot. None of this make a lot of sense either as people could just jailbreak their iPhones or get an Android.

As I’ve said before this is all about money. Folk say Apple wants all the money for themselves, and other say it big tech and governments that want it and don’t want to pay Apple and harvest more peoples data.

There’s no good reason to open up their Apple ecosystem for the masses. As far as the 15 and 30 percent cuts Apple takes that people have issue with I’d be open to finding ways to better regulate that in the digital age for all companies.

 

[iPay]

Or how about an add-on fee, in line-item, for phones sold in the EU. Like, the phone costs x + this EU service fee + the tariffs that the EU and member countries add onto the phone.

That would be a creative & unfortunate way to bully Apple's second-most important market. Also, EU taxes (VAT) are already incorporated into EU countries selling price. As of 2021:

European VAT is applied based on the destination principle. This means that the tax is owed to the country where the buyer is located. European Union (EU) member states are under obligation to levy a standard VAT rate of at least 15%, but the minimum tax rate of 5% is allowed for special circumstances. The average VAT among European countries is approximately 21%, with the current standard VAT being 20% in the United Kingdom.

edit: adding source https://www.wesellcellular.com/blog/how-european-vat-taxes-impact-cell-phone-wholesalers/

 

[gsurf123]

Outside of this forum and “the nerds” no one will even contemplate using a 3rd party. There is no compelling reason to other than people being cheapskates. I’m a software developer and will gladly pay whatever the spread is to stay within the walls. There will be people who get burned and who will try to blame Apple. The crooks and spyware developers must be foaming at the mouth.

 

[Born2Run]

About time! Thanks EU.

Hope it comes to the UK… lol

And for those who are about to wail and moan: don’t use it. Simple!

I hope it comes as an 'in-app' purchase that has to be turned on in iOS for a cost... If you want it, you should pay for it!

 

[gsurf123]

I seriously doubt Apple is going to allow their $99 developer fee to be used to develop products not in the store. I just can’t stand these dirt bags who started developing for the iPhone knowing there was a 30% fee and then one successful decide they don’t want to pay the fee.

 

[apfelbaum]

I am a German. I don’t like the EU constantly telling private businesses what to do.

If people don’t like how apple handles this they should buy an android or whatever else or the EU can come up with their own phone (lol).

20% of global revenue, what a joke.

You have likely have been corrected multiple times by now but just since I am reading your post:

1. This regulation is primarily not made with users in mind but developers. Of course users can always switch plattforms but developers normally develop for both.

2. It is “up to“ 20% of global revenue, so this is just the last resort but in the end of course you can only enforce a law sometimes if you can send a high fine that really hurts and if by law you can „only“ fine up to a certain amount (lets just say 1 million Euro), this wouldn‘t hurt big companies like Apple and they would just ignore the new regulation.

 

[robifaustmann]

I own the domain AppStore EU. Any ideas what I could do with it?

 

[Ctrlos]

Apple is a business. Not a government. You're free to stop using Apple products at any time you choose. But once Governments beginning mandating how your phone should operate, you won't be free to opt of of those laws and regulations.

Governments mandating a tech monopoly should stop infantilising its customers into only being able to do the things it dictates you can and to only ever rely on Grandfather Apple for all of your worries is probably a good thing.

 

[Mescagnus]

Hopefully with side loading someone will create an app that will allow removal of the flashlight and camera on the lockscreen.

So how do you take a photo in the dark then??

 

[The Phazer]

People keep comparing this to MacOS but don't seem to be smart enough to realize the data on your phone is significantly more sensitive than the data on your MacBook. Health, Payment, Accounts, contacts, etc. Most of this data I believe is stored on device as part of Apple's "Privacy" efforts. You know all those times Craig or Tim said "And it all stays on device so we can't see a thing!". That's what is at stake basically.

Do you own a Mac? Because it has Apple Pay, account syncing, access to your password keychain, all your contacts and address details. All of these things even sync from your phone automatically.

Literally none of those things stay on your device. They all sync to iCloud unless you go to non-trivial lengths, and they all get synced to your Mac.

 

[barkomatic]

The one and only time I wanted to side load an app was years ago when tethering your data plan was prohibited by carriers and there were apps that would allow you to do that outside the App Store. Now that that's obviously built in and super easy to do, I haven't had a need for side loaded apps since.

I suppose when this goes through, maybe they'll be a lot more every day apps that want to circumvent Appstore restrictions/fees and I'll be going to shady places to download Netflix in exchange for crack.

 

[370zulu]

There is always the law of unintended consequences.

Will there be any negative effects from this?

 

[SmugMaverick]

I can’t wait to download Amazon app from Amazon directly so I can buy kindle books again through the app at long last.

I also want Fortnite and other games back on mobile.

 

[tgwaste]

20% of APPLES Global revenue as a fine? Does that punishment fit the crime?

You have likely have been corrected multiple times by now but just since I am reading your post:

1. This regulation is primarily not made with users in mind but developers. Of course users can always switch plattforms but developers normally develop for both.

2. It is “up to“ 20% of global revenue, so this is just the last resort but in the end of course you can only enforce a law sometimes if you can send a high fine that really hurts and if by law you can „only“ fine up to a certain amount (lets just say 1 million Euro), this wouldn‘t hurt big companies like Apple and they would just ignore the new regulation.

Socialist EU at its finest. I'm so happy I don't have to live there under that gov.

 

[BaldiMac]

Governments mandating a tech monopoly should stop infantilising its customers into only being able to do the things it dictates you can and to only ever rely on Grandfather Apple for all of your worries is probably a good thing.

There's no worse argument to me than this one. People pay others to make decisions. That doesn't make you an infant. It just means that you care about things other than your tech.