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iPhone App Sideloading Coming to Users in the EU in First Half of 2024
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I bet you don't even look away when commercials are playing.
It’s easy peasy to buy an android. That’s voting with your $$$.
Experts are there for a reason in every industry. But it helps to know how to change a tyre yourself, top-up the oil, turn off the fuse box, repair a cycle puncture or many other self-skills.
I'm not saying I need to replace the motherboard on my Macbook myself but 15 years ago I could upgrade the RAM, HDD and replace the battery in an Apple laptop and no other brand. It was a defining feature of the Macbook line and it was a doddle. I could (and still can) install apps from absolutely anywhere and even use CandyBar and Shapeshifter to change the system icons and re-theme the whole of OSX. Android deep theming isn't so new.
The Cook era has been defined by the removal of most of these features and I have no doubt that if Apple could get away with it they would remove manual installations from MacOS in favour of the App Store (and their 30% cut) and roll off some nonsense about it being better for security and you'd get a whole raft of people on here defending them for it. A few years later the EU would mandate them to undo the move and there would be even more uproar.
That is the real issue.
This needs putting to bed because its not a fair arguement.
Android lacks hundreds of premium apps you can only get on iOS, from classic games like Tinywings and Trism to productivity apps like Ulysses and Procreate. The two platforms do not share software parity.
Telling someone to buy an Android device because Apple operate a hypocritical stance on their mobile OS (whilst keeping their desktop one open for outside business) is like telling someone to move to another country because they dislike their neighbours.
Why should I pay to run my own apps on the iPhone I bought.
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I can understand the desire to having products that don’t require you to make any compromises, but unless you regulate that every product be the same (and thus eliminate competition), you will never get that.
Why shouldn’t you if that was the agreement you signed up to?
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It's lovely that you think you need those things to lead a fulfilling life. Seriously.
But those of us that disagree aren't infants, we simply have other priorities.
I have no idea how that's not fair. Platforms have always differentiated on the software and features that they offer. Choose the one you like better. Or choose both. Getting everything you want isn't a right.
It's nothing like that in that switching to Android is relatively frictionless. I'd probably make money by switching to Android by selling my iPhone. And moving data would take a couple of days. Less if you don't rely on iCloud very much.
Because that's the terms of the software that you chose.
Truth is that it should be niche but won’t be because so many people have unrealistic expectations of how much better the world will be outside the AppStore. Lower prices, less restrictions, greener grass...
I expect big players to lead the exit. Meta because of privacy restrictions. Google will withdraw to a now cross platform Play Store for the same reasons. Microsoft and Adobe because they have the resources and an interest in controlling the brand with a desire to present themselves front and center. Epic because the world revolves around them, and Steam because they have a viable distribution platform already. Netflix and the streamers unless they're happy enough with the result of the anti-steering decision from the Epic case-- they'd certainly rather not have to run their own app distribution if they can do it all through others for free.
Mid sized devs will just take the financial hit and try to be available in a few places to maintain visibility. It's the small devs that are going to get screwed by all this. They're going to wind up in the backwaters spending more than they save trying to chase a few percent in their cut. The grass may be greener, but they can't afford anyone to pull the weeds.
And users suffer of course. Multiple places to search, multiple places to check updates, multiple payment services, different and ever changing EULAs and protections to pay attention to, licenses and subscriptions that don't cross store domains...
Now that this is law I can say it: it's not your right to force others out of sideloading.
I don't know what the laws are where you live. In most countries in the EU there are consumer protection laws and binding precedent decisions by courts. Just because some corporation writes very one-sided terms of services does not mean that those provisions are enforceable. Clauses are voided all the time for many reasons.
I reckon most of those companies wouldn't give up the reach the App Store undoubtedly provides in exchange for their own stores. Except Epic, they've made pretty clear they want to. And I don't know how Steam would "exit" the scene when they don't provide a storefront at the moment
Of course not.
Just to be clear, with my post I intended to say: "it's not your right to deny sideloading to users."
Not really. You're the one supporting forcing other people to do what you want. Evidently, so you can avoid paying them for their work.
Yes, so you can see how some people’s rights for things to work a certain way are being taken away so that another group can have the thing work the way they want.
The problem for the first group of people is that there’s now no product that meets their needs because there’s a duopoly in the mobile operate system market, and neither product will offer the feature these users want.
Actually, you're the one forcing others to bend to your will. I just expect Apple to let *me* do what *I* want.
We'll see how Apple implements this. If they're gonna add an "Enable Sideloading" switch then you won't have anything to worry about.
I think your expectation is unrealistic. Do you also have the same expectations with other products and services where certain actions aren’t permitted?
We seem to be slipping into an incredibly narcissistic world!
If we're talking about electronic devices, then yes. I expect to be able to run Android on my Switch just as I expect to be able to install apps on iOS.
Remember the EU doesn't care about that "you don't ackshually own the device" crap.
Oh that's so true