Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Cool. Apple will now have to hire even more people to man their Genius Bars when people bring in malware laden iPhones and go "I sideloaded this game...but it mess it up with Moose porn malware...fix it..."

Apply for a job now, they're going to need it!
Are there a flood of Mac users every day at the Genius Bar seeking help for their malware infested Macs?

Since we've been able to sideload Mac apps since forever there should be.
 
Combined with other headlines regarding other issues, this couldn’t come sooner.
But just like how politicians dictates what’s illegal and what’s not, I seriously doubt this bill will do what people supporting sideloading think it might do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: strongy and subi257
This bill better take it's power over onto consoles next. I want my Playstation to able to get my Xbox game accounts and vice versa. I also want the infotainment centers on cars to be able to side-load other content, and I want third party companies to have the car manufacturers' ECM/TCM code for their own development of capabilities.
 
as a consumer, I love this. As a former Genius Bar employee... I pity my old coworkers haha. God, that is going to be a crap-show 😅

For sure on that!

Apple needs to be firm on letting users know that if they side load apps, or purchase them (or get them free) from another source, they're on their own should anything go wrong with respect to privacy/security/malware/phone damage/etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LV426
Don't like it. I want my phone to be (relatively) bug and malware-free.

macOS has remained relatively so (arguably) because it's a relatively tiny fraction of the workstation market. iOS has HUGE market share, and will thus be low-hanging fruit for bad actors without a gatekeeper :(

You can still be the gatekeeper on your own phone.

Some people on here seem to have fallen for Apple's lies and have no idea how real life works.

But if other people are allowed to invite visitors into their homes they will surely have access to my house too somehow!!!!!!!
 
Pirates rejoice!

It's not a winning situation for Apple Developers. The Torrent sites will be loaded with apps that can be installed without having to jailbreak your device.

If you let politicians control Technology, we will have total chaos.
If developers are worried about their app(s) getting pirated, then they don't have to use 3rd party app stores. They can keep their app secured on Apple's app store.

And if iOS users are worried about malware getting on their iDevice by using 3rd party app stores, they can stick to getting apps only through Apple's app store.

You know, no one is required or will be forced to use 3rd party app stores or 3rd party payments. That's the beauty of having options and choice.
 
Just for the sake of discussion - why not?
Every app I want can be found on the PlayStore. I have never had the need to install a 3rd party appstore. Heck, I even installed Google PlayStore on my kid's Kindle Fire. It already has Amazon's Appstore, but I don't use the Amazon appstore.

I only want side loading to install older versions of certain apps. Some apps were brought out by Chinese developers (Cheetah Mobile) and had a bunch of WTF permission requirements. Why would a photo gallery app need access to my contact list?😑
 
For all of you who are praising this… I wonder if you’ve thought about the ramifications. Actually thought about them. Security workarounds with apps not being reviewed by Apple (even as imperfect as it is now) would allow many multitudes more malware to exist and make it through to the end user.

Also, for the third party app stores… do you really think that app developers are going to keep them in the App Store if they can get their app hosted for free or very discounted elsewhere? Of course not. The App Store will soon be as bad as the Mac App Store if that’s the case. “Just keep using the App Store if you don’t like side loading or installing new app stores” doesn’t hold water if there are no more apps on that App Store. I know for a fact the devs in the “app coalition for fairness” group and supporters will leave. That’s tile, Facebook, Spotify, ProtonMail, epic, etc etc etc. it’s going to be a snowball effect for sure.
I am sticking with the App Store. Hopefully, this won't pass.
 
Surely the challenge will be for Apple to prevent side loaded apps finding a way to infiltrate server infrastructure, and therefore breaking through into other people’s data.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FriendlyMackle
Apple would need to provide "readily accessible means" for iPhone users to install third-party apps or app stores outside of Apple's own App Store, and it would need to let customers choose third-party apps and app stores as their defaults while also hiding standard Apple apps.

Whelp. That'll drop the number of apps I buy significantly. If you ain't on the Apple AppStore, you likely won't get my business. If another suitably large and trustworthy player (ie. not Epic) opens a store, maybe I'd consider it. I don't think what they have in mind here though is that we'll all just rush over to give Amazon our business instead.
 
I don't have the details on hand, but on M1 Macs, Apple is starting to restrict access to a number of low-level features that some apps have relied on. Ultimately, the M1 chip gives Apple the option of restricting new installations to the App Store, similar to iOS.
 
Every app I want can be found on the PlayStore. I have never had the need to install a 3rd party appstore. Heck, I even installed Google PlayStore on my kid's Kindle Fire. It already has Amazon's Appstore, but I don't use the Amazon appstore.

I only want side loading to install older versions of certain apps. Some apps were brought out by Chinese developers (Cheetah Mobile) and had a bunch of WTF permission requirements. Why would a photo gallery app need access to my contact list?😑

But you completely glossed over my example…

There are very likely amazing things not being created right now because they don’t financially make sense due to the exorbitant fees.

A whole world of the really cool stuff could open up with third-party app stores
All of it will be optional for you
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedRage
I would love to hear people say they don't want this because it makes iOS less secure, but allowing Apple to scan your images and messages and possibly upload them to the government, that's OK 😂😂

You're misrepresenting the latter. The CSAM scanning process in no way compromises your phone. All that Apple is doing is reporting confirmed CSAM images you upload to iCloud.
 
At this point I say go for it. Let stores sideload. Our whole reasoning was to leave it locked since Apple values privacy and security but since they showed they don't value those two things anymore I say let it rip! 🤣
 
But you completely glossed over my example…
No, I didn't.
There are very likely amazing things not being created right now because they don’t financially make sense due to the exorbitant fees.

A whole world of the really cool stuff could open up with third-party app stores
All of it will be optional for you
Those apps might be useful for others. If it is, more power to 'em.👍 As for me, the PlayStore has all I need. Because I have no need of those apps doesn't mean others don't. The option of a 3rd party appstore is a good thing, just not my thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane
No, I didn't.

Those apps might be useful for others. If it is, more power to 'em.👍 As for me, the PlayStore has all I need. Because I have no need of those apps doesn't mean others don't. The option of a 3rd party appstore is a good thing, just not my thing.

Fair enough…

I would still argue that it’s hard to completely say it’s not your thing if we don’t know what might be in it that might not even exist today.

The possibilities not being realized right now is more what I was getting it
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildkraut
This probably puts a number of state actors and 0-day operators out of business. Why go to all the expense and trouble of finding a tiny flaw that allows root access to an iPhone and go to the lengths necessary to reach a target when all you will need to do is host a compromised copy of Facebook or Flappy Bird or Grindr or whatever that a person importance will be asked to install.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tongxinshe
The ignorance of some politicians never ceases to amaze. Their time would be better spent passing laws which help stop the planet from going up in flames, but no, let's focus on side loading apps.

We don't need new laws for Apple to stop buying 50 flights to China every single day and trying FaceTime instead
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane
For smaller devs 15% is a very good value considering marketing, card processing, etc. The scrape on subscription revenue has been pure greed on Apple's part and now here we are.

Apple could have headed this off by offering an App Store tier with a 10% subscription rate instead of acceding to the portrayal of the App Store as nothing more than a toll booth. Had the pre App Store status quo persisted, the mobile app world would be nowhere as developed as it is now.

That said, Apple provides a lot of value in the use of its APIs and I just can't get excited about sideloading. This will be a huge malware issue. It's strange that Apple can't seem to mention how much value devs get from access to APIs in their battle with Epic.

I think if you want to sell an app completely outside the App Store, you should write it from scratch and caveat emptor.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.