Report: Sideloading in Europe Will Still Involve App Review and Fees

[MacRumors]

Developers who offer the ability to sideload their apps in the European Union will still face restrictions and fees imposed by Apple, The Wall Street Journal reports.

App sideloading capabilities will allow users to download apps from outside the App Store for the first time, but only in the EU. The change is necessitated by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to rein in the apparent anticompetitive conduct of big tech companies.

Apple reportedly plans to comply with EU law in a way that retains close control over the apps downloaded outside the App Store. Apple has not yet revealed its final plans to comply with this aspect of the DMA, but the WSJ today provided new details citing people familiar with the company's plans. Specifically, Apple will apparently retain the ability to review each app offered outside the app store, as well as take a fee from developers that offer them.

Exact details of the fee structure are unknown, but Apple charges a 27% commission on in-app purchases made through alternative payment systems in the Netherlands, a capability that was initially triggered by a Dutch regulatory ruling. This is just three percent lower than its default fee, but unlike Apple's commission, it does not include tax, making the net total more than Apple's fee for most developers.

Apple has reportedly been working on the plan for offering sideloading for over a year and the company has held meetings with EU officials in recent months to discuss the new rules. The deadline to enact the changes is Thursday, March 7.

Companies are already said to be lining up to take advantage of the impending changes. For example, Spotify is mulling offering its app via its website to skirt the App Store, Microsoft has considered launching its own third-party app store specifically for games, and Meta is planning to launch a system to download apps directly from ads.

Article Link: Report: Sideloading in Europe Will Still Involve App Review and Fees

 

[sniffies]

Pretty much what the App Store is now: fees, reviews, full control.

And if you were hoping for App Store freedom, sorry, Apple will never let that happen on their platform.

 

[TheLisnakFactor]

I feel like the most logical implementation is something similar to Gatekeeper on the Mac. Certificates to identify the developers and make sure apps are legitimate. This helps handle pretty much everything Apple would want and allow for them to block apps by pulling certs. Theoretically. Plus they do it on the Mac by default already.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Not sure what all the surprise is here. This was about being able to sideload. Ok here you go. Absolutely nothing says Apple can’t get paid for hosting companies products. Apple will still get its 100% deserved commission/reimbursement for its platform hosting expenses.

 

[I7guy]

So, I may have been incorrect in speculating that sideloading will result in a free-for-all. Interesting.

And those who thought that anything could be sideloaded, like emulators, were also incorrect.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

I feel like the most logical implementation is something similar to Gatekeeper on the Mac. Certificates to identify the developers and make sure apps are legitimate. This helps handle pretty much everything Apple would want and allow for them to block apps by pulling certs. Theoretically. Plus they do it on the Mac by default already.

Yes if it was about security, but Apple wants a piece of everybody else's business. Gatekeeper doesn't include built in rentseeking.

 

[eilavid]

I am not looking forward to having to switch to the Microsoft App Store, Spotify App Store, Meta App Store... yuck

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

I think Spotify, Epic etc were duped by the media which created the idea that the commissions/fees would not be allowed. The media fabricated that nonsense to create more drama of course.

 

[Starfia]

(I'm presuming that's "rein in." Or perhaps you were fishing for a compliment.) ^ ^

 

[PlayUltimate]

So, I may have been incorrect in speculating that sideloading will result in a free-for-all. Interesting.

Not likely. It is still Apple's platform. They will just get paid in other ways.

 

[I7guy]

Yes if it was about security, but Apple wants a piece of everybody else's business. Gatekeeper doesn't include built in rentseeking.

Try selling your brand in say Costco and see if you can get away without paying any fees. “Rentseeking” is an absolutely justified term for a justified fee.

 

[andrewxgx]

So, I may have been incorrect in speculating that sideloading will result in a free-for-all. Interesting.

And those who thought that anything could be sideloaded, like emulators, were also incorrect.

oh, it will
maybe not right away, but its only a matter of time before EU is pissed enough so the devices are either open or GTFO

 

[TMRJIJ]

Makes sense. If there’s any security concern, Apple can just pull the certificate so that iOS will not run the app.
Also, the apps are still using Apple's SDKs so that'll probably be their argument for the fees

 

[2540497]

Looks like the EU’s Digital Markets Act is dead on arrival.

Reading this article after the Spotify one was brilliant.

Bet their heads have exploded!

 

[bodhisattva]

I feel like the most logical implementation is something similar to Gatekeeper on the Mac. Certificates to identify the developers and make sure apps are legitimate. This helps handle pretty much everything Apple would want and allow for them to block apps by pulling certs. Theoretically. Plus they do it on the Mac by default already.

Essentially the old Enterprise Developer License offered in the beginning. Load what you want, but dev cert, distribution cert, etc. all had to line up and be valid. Those were the days I'd have all sorts of malicious international actors offering to pay a whopping $500 (</sarcasm>) for me to use my enterprise license and publish their app... 🤔

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Try selling your brand in say Costco and see if you can get away without paying any fees. “Rentseeking” is an absolutely justified term for a justified fee.

If I sell a Kettle in Costco am I allowed to tell my customers that they can fill it with their own water?

 

[I7guy]

oh, it will
maybe not right away, but its only a matter of time before EU is pissed enough so the devices are either open or GTFO

I’m not sure the court challenges involved if the EU keeps trying to craft further micro-regulations. At some point American tech could just leave the EU.

 

[bodhisattva]

Looks like the EU’s Digital Markets Act is dead on arrival.

Reading this article after the Spotify one was brilliant.

Bet their heads have exploded!

Incoming... EU developer license annual fee => $5000 🤣🤯

 

[vipergts2207]

Will be interesting to see Apple’s actual plan and what regulators think of it. Based on what's being reported here, this would seem to flout the spirit of the law. The only material difference from the status quo would appear to be the server the app is hosted on. Does anyone really think the DMA was passed just so that devs could host apps off of Apple's servers?

 

[AdonisSMU]

I feel like these EU changes really only benefit big players and not indie developers. Apples rules before EU got involved were more targeted at helping smaller devs get their apps off the ground. Now the rules are skewed towards big businesses limiting competition by creating barriers to entry for smaller competitors.

 

[baryon]

So for the user, what's the difference between buying an app from the App Store or from the "side"? Seems like there will be no difference, what's the point then? It's just as anti competitive, if Apple still gets to control and decide what you can and can't run on your phone and still takes a fee. Wasn't the fee there to pay for the benefits of being in Apple's walled garden App store, advertised and prompted by Apple? Why is there still a fee outside the app store?

 

[vipergts2207]

I’m not sure the court challenges involved if the EU keeps trying to craft further micro-regulations. At some point American tech could just leave the EU.

Apple’s not going to forgo billions in hardware and subscription revenue just because they can’t get App Store money anymore.

 

[BadApe]

Some people actually thought that EU will wave and Apple will just completely compromise App Store by allowing to side load anything people want and charge nothing? Well ...

 

[9059737]

Absolutely nothing says Apple can’t get paid for hosting companies products. Apple will still get its 100% deserved commission/reimbursement for its platform hosting expenses.

Apple is not hosting anything, that's the whole point of sideloading. Besides, Apple already makes developers pay 99 dollars a year for the Developer Program, which includes "all the tools, resources, and support you need to create and deliver software to over a billion customers around the world on Apple platforms"

 

[a m u n]