The Verge, reporting on a paywalled story from Bloomberg:
Apple is planning to let users install alternative app stores on iOS, according to a report from Bloomberg. The shift would be a remarkable change from the company, which has famously only allowed iPhone and iPad users to download apps from the App Store.
The plans are reportedly being spurred on by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is meant to enact “rules for digital gatekeepers to ensure open markets” when its restrictions become a requirement in 2024, according to a press release.
The law means that Apple will not only have to allow third-party app stores but sideloading as well, where users can install software downloaded from the web. Apple executives have previously called the ability to sideload software “a cybercriminal’s best friend” in response to the act.
I’m glad at least one government is doing something to address the blatant abuse of power in the tech industry. This is a major concession by Apple, and one that will have massive consequences. Users will regain a lot of control over their Apple devices, and developers harmed by Apple’s random and opaque “rules” and application thereof will now have alternatives to explore. On top of that, this will force the App Store to compete on merit, something it has never had to do before, and it will enable applications Apple would never allow to come to iOS. And of course, if you’re not interested in any of this – don’t add any third party stores, and don’t sideload.
If this is tied to EU Apple hardware, there’s going to be a thriving grey market of people importing EU Apple devices into the US.
Supporting normal installation of applications is a must. It took regulators at least have a decade more then it should. On why iPhone user base never forced Apple to support an option such as Homebrew. That is beyond me. The result will likely be a majority to stay as is. Then there will be something like a F-Droid for Apple. And hopefully you will be able to code, compile and install an application locally. As programmers don’t have a choice. That is you must develop for Andorid and iOS. Or you don’t exist. This is such a welcoming addition. But again. At least half a decade late.
Define “normal”.
Manually installing apps is a niche for geeks, for average users the app store is a much better model and is the “normal” way.
Of course the ability to manually load your own software should always be available because you own the hardware, but the fact is that only a small percentage of people will ever want to use such a feature.
So with emergence of mobile phones all PC users automatically became geeks? Don’t dumb down. It’s hard as it is. With all this self inflicted dumbness. A consequence i guess of using a “smart” phone. Where it’s more or less forbidden to use the brain in its full capacity. If your “smart” phone isn’t making you smarter. Consider throwing it away. Or try a normal installation of an application from time to time. To show the “smart” phone who still got it. That is not still having the geeknes. But brain.
Wow, this took a long time and a lot of pressure. It really needed to happen a decade ago, but yay that it’s happening at all. I hope this works everywhere and not just in the EU. Assuming it’s global, it really should help app store competition. I’m still disappointed and fatigued that apple’s anti-competitive restrictions were allowed to harm to competition for so long, but hey as long as things are headed to a better place then it’s progress. It’s weird. I’ve been extremely critical of walled gardens including apple as the poster child for restrictions, but now on hearing this news, I may need to revise my position. Obviously it depends on how things actually pan out, but this is definitely something I want to keep an eye on!
It may take a few years to get there, but I think multiplatform app stores may have a real chance to succeed now. Something like steam does for PCs. This would be a perk not only for end users, but also developers.
I agree this is positive but as I have. said before, what about Playstation and Xbox? The logic is the same but the EU doesn’t seem to care because “it’s just games”.
The EU wants easier access to private messages not just high scores.
Playstation and Xbox are not pivotal to ALL of the people life. Android and iOS are. Android and iOS are like the air you breathe. You have no other choice but to do that. And regulators need to make sure it’s not polluted. Playstation and Xbox should be regulated too but the difference is huge and obvious. And AFAIK Microsoft will not be allowed to buy Activision Blizzard. Regulator understands that Microsoft should not be allowed to abuse their position in the market to tie the whole Activision Blizzard catalogue to their platform. On top of that i don’t know on why they don’t split Microsoft up. Why they allow such concentration of products and services under one company. That severely damages the completion and the market on the long run.
jgfenix,
Xbox has a famous “dev” mode, which allows installing custom applications, and of course building your own. There are even PS2 emulators for it, which ironically does not exist on the latest PlayStation:
https://www.kotaku.com.au/2022/10/ps2-emulator-xbox-series-s/
The catch is, you cannot run retail games and dev mode at the same it. It is a dual boot option for one or the other.
(PS4 and PS5 does not offer unlocking your own console. But they can be hacked: https://mp1st.com/news/ps5-hack-arrives-nearly-2-years-after-consoles-release . Yes, I know this is not the same thing).
Yet, the main difference between gaming consoles and phones is that one is more of an appliance, and the other one is a generic computing device. As this changes over time, maybe, they too would be subject to similar rules. We are not there yet in this generation, though.
Now that I have Steam OS on Steam Deck, I’ve seen how powerful a simple UI can be over top of a well functioning open system. I’ll never go back to locked down consoles. For my next living room gaming system, it’ll just be a PC running Steam OS (whenever Linux in general or Steam OS specifically adds HDR anyway – for now I’m content with Steam Deck).
CaptainN-.
Fellow Steam Deck enthusiast, yes it is a great device. Especially when doubled as a portable KDE “desktop” with a dock.
However, there are still things consoles can do, and open systems cannot.
Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are on the top of that.
Being a better value is right after that. Take the $250 for Series S for example. A comparable PC ~(Geforce GTX 1650 Super with Ryzen 7 3800X) would cost much more. And given these consoles are sold at a loss, it is hard to ignore the price advantage here.
(And yes even compared to Steam Deck, about 3x performance for 1/2 the price. Though not portable).
Because allowing anyone to publish games for your console is why Atari doesn’t make consoles anymore. The ET Game being the most cited, and possibly worst game of all time.
This is exactly the same reason PC gaming failed, and the Steam Deck is never going to be viable. /sarcasm
When your iPhone gets a virus because you are using a side loading store … just be careful what you wish for.
“On why iPhone user base never forced Apple to support an option such as Homebrew.”
It’s easy. Security. I just hope what you and others hope for doesn’t ruin the better security that I’ve been enjoying. Is Apple perfect? No. Does it look like it is vs Windows or Android? Yes. And I want it to stay that way.
The thing is, there are many instances when Security is not the blocker for for apps, but instead is Apple just gatekeeping certain kinds of apps. Take UTM for example. Perfectly viable app that is even on Apple’s App store… but only for the Mac, because it may actually make an iPad useful as a desktop replacement, you have to do funky things to get it to work there! It should be just an app store I can download things from.
Sabon,
As Thom mentioned, you’re already covered: “if you’re not interested in any of this – don’t add any third party stores, and don’t sideload.”
Also you’re overlooking the fact that sideloading isn’t the same as “rooting”. Apps will likely run under the same IOS sandbox model regardless of the stores they’re purchased from. And let’s not pretend apple’s store isn’t filled to the rim with garbage too, so who’s to say alternative stores can’t be more selective and have better quality control?
Ultimately stores need to earn their reputations (both good and bad) and the market needs to decide, not some unilateral anti-competitive policies.
@Sabon
If you don’t want to you don’t have to install applications outside Apple store. But indeed some people from Apple user base will now do exactly that. Some maybe even coming from Android. Where that was already always possible. And people that are against that. Not much they will be able to do about it. Hence i agree it’s a cultural thing too. As Apple user base will forever change. Such exclusivity in ignorance by choice won’t be possible anymore. Now there will be opposite opinion and beyond. From within the walled garden and not just from the outside.
Potential app stores:
Epic Games
Amazon
Google?
Microsoft?
Who else would be large enough to want a special carve out from apple’s policies/taxes?
Would be sweet to get an F-Droid equivalent.
As leech mentions, f-droid or equivalent is a big one. You didn’t mention steam, but I think they might be very interested now that the barriers are going away (assuming this is all real and not a dream, haha).
Maybe the iphone’s first app store, cydia, will make a come back.
I think there could be room for more niche stores too. While I’m not a fan, adobe comes to mind.
I have often wondered why we don’t see more of this on Android. You can already install Amazon’s market place. Samsung has their own (largely pointless) app store. Why don’t we see Steam, Epic, Battle.net, GoG, Riot and all the others on Android? (I recognize that most of Steam’s library wouldn’t work on Android as-is – but that’s not to say any of these vendors couldn’t open up a category.)
(Oh! There is an Epic one – didn’t know that https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/mobile/android )
This isn’t a concession, it’s a blatant bait and switch to appease regulators.
They are saying they will allow other app stores or sideloading, but Apple must still vet and allow/disallow installation of all apps.
I.e. they still have full control, including the ability to pull validation for any app.
jmorgannz,
I personally wouldn’t consider something sideloading if one still had to get apple’s permission first. Also I kind of doubt EU regulators would let that fly. But regardless of what I think, do you have evidence for this?
I’d actually be ok with apple having an app blacklist akin to windows defender as long as 1) apple doesn’t abuse it, and 2) the owner has authority over it.
Keep in mind apple bows to authoritarian governments, so it’s important that owners can override apple’s policies if they need to.
It’s in the article, dude.
> Apple may still keep some hands on the reins. The company is apparently considering “mandating certain security requirements,” verifying outside apps in some way, and potentially charging a fee.
It’s Apple.. . .
jmorgannz,
The four word snippet being quoted is just too vague to make any meaningful conclusion from… “mandating certain security requirements”. Does the article behind the paywall provide any more detail? I do not have access to it. From the public reporting so far I haven’t seen anything even remotely conclusive. Even the verge’s reporting speculates on apple’s intentions.
I agree that apple isn’t doing this out of good will. Still, since apple’s hands may be tied by regulators, “it’s apple” doesn’t necessarily mean that much. The curtains will part soon enough though!
four word snippet??
Did you somehow miss the specific mention of what I said: “verifying outside apps in some way, and potentially charging a fee”
jmorgannz,
Well, re-read the whole paragraph you are quoting. The verge’s authors are merely speculating themselves. The quote they quoted and which you re-quoted is now twice removed from the source without much context. The authors were using language suggesting that they weren’t very positive either; even your own quote contains the adverbs “apparently” and “potentially”, both of which convey less certainty.
Thank you for letting me know that this was your source, but IMHO we need more information. We don’t have to agree, but I think we should wait for more facts before making definitive conclusions.
They’ll probably require a partnership arrangement with potential app store vendors, to grant them a signing certificate. And they’ll fill that program up with poison pills, just like they did with their regulatory appeasement parts/repair program.
CaptainN-,
Obviously I can see how apple may want to mess with competition, but their actions will be watched by regulators.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TC1-COD-2020-0374_EN.pdf
…
While it’s not yet clear whether EU regulation will actually be successful, it does seem clear that their intention is to stop market abuse by gatekeepers including apple. So I’m still optimistic for a positive outcome for consumer choice, though time will tell if apple tries to muck it all up.
I think Apple will think of a way to allow different stores in a way that prohibits them to be viable alternatives to the build-in one. Maybe like Android did with moving a lot of useful (new) API’s to the Play Store (and not adding them to Android)
Now i guess for the same APIs that Apple can use. Tu build their applications. For any developer to use under the same terms. Applications such as Firefox with Gecko engine and extensions support to land on iOS ASAP.
I see this as purely a grab for advertising dollars, with motives conveniently disguised and misdirected to blame authoritarian government.
Apple will reluctantly comply, then it will rake in the advertising revenue at a rate never before seen off the back of an ever expanding app store.
The EU gave Apple the excuse to become Metapple.
Apple doesn’t need any excuses to try grabbing advertising dollars. They would if they could. Until they find a way. Until then i am sure that there will be a lot of PR from Apple side. Against companies grabbing advertising dollars. But as soon as they would find a way. They would grab too. It’s not like it comes down to a pure choice. It’s highly competitive market and they don’t have a product for it. To compete. Like TikTok, YouTube, social … That is on why they don’t do it ATM. As they can’t.
I’ve been extremely vocal over the years about the extreme hazards of this idea I. The US.
It’s a pure fact that I. The US nobody is respond for their own actions.
The single biggest threat easy open app installs brings to the iPhone and iPad is to warranty repair and apple care.
Competent users already can install 3rd party apps or even Linux/BSD apps. All you need, beyond some skill, is
A terminal emulator
A compiler or package manager
Some patience
I’ve been running BSD apps on my iPhones since the iPhone 7!
The average user has no reason to expand beyond the App Store. The only thing to sway out there is; for the normal user is porn, and piracy. Or pathetic companies that don’t want to pay for using resources they don’t own: eg the trolls of gaming, Epic.
The first class action for refused repairs (for user installed non AppStore apps) is going to kill AppleCare.
Thanks eu, for allowing the ignorant, and down right stupid, to ruin the process for the rest of us.
lostinlodos,
I don’t think this has merit. Once sideloading is permitted, it can’t be used as a reason to deny a warranty. (Nor should it be).
Are you talking about jailbreaking like this or something else…?
https://www.iclarified.com/687/how-to-install-bsd-subsystem-on-your-iphone
Well, there are several major problems with jailbreaking, one you alluded to already: companies may deny your hardware warranty claims because they don’t like the software you are running. Even if it’s an obvious hardware fault. they’ll use any excuse to deny it. Also, jailbreaking can create unnecessary bricking risks that wouldn’t have been a problem if the owners were permitted to sideload in the first place, which they should be. It’s really bad to make owners rely on exploits to gain control over their own devices, but this is typically what jailbreaking means. Manufactures are often patching these exploits, which is good, but updates can negatively effect owners who are using jailbreaks, consequently owners may be forced to disable security updates to maintain functionality, which is bad. The root of the problem stems from owners not having control over their own devices and having to break into them like hackers would even though their hardware is supposed to belong to them.
When it’s your device, you can do you. But frankly your opinion should not diminish the rights of other owners on their devices (whether it’s gaming, FOSS, or even porn for that matter). Another point that needs serious consideration these days is the fact that repressive governments love the control that walled garden platforms afford them.
Ah, so dramatic. Firstly apple care will not be responsible for 3rd party software sideloading any more than microsoft or google are. What I think apple should do is to build sideloading APIs in such a way that all software can be traced to it’s source/store/website/etc. Furthermore the user should have a nice overview of all the software, how it got installed, and make it easy to disable/uninstall. Also, apple could provide a “safe boot mode” where only apple certified software runs (you may recognize this idea from microsoft). If the problem goes away both the user and apple care themselves can quickly isolate the problem to 3rd party software, if it doesn’t go away then you know it’s an apple problem.
Ultimately there are lots of things apple can do to make the situation much better or much worse. It’s not like apple doesn’t have the chops to do sideloading well. All those spreading FUD about sideloading are essentially predicting that apple is not going to do a good job in supporting it. Apple might even sabotage their own users to fail. I hope this is not the case, and I hope they’re not looking for retribution against users who sideload, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.