The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is scheduled to become effective on March 7, 2024, and Apple has a limited timeframe to enable sideloading of apps on iOS. An insider report from the Wall Street Journal sheds light on the implementation and forthcoming changes. It is anticipated that Apple will introduce sideloading on iOS 17 with the release of iOS 17.4, but users will incur charges for sideloading apps from third-party app stores.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing internal sources, Apple will, for the first time, permit users to download apps from third-party app stores to comply with the DMA. The report indicates that Apple will impose charges on users for sideloading apps from stores other than the App Store and will also conduct app reviews for the sideloaded apps.
A prior report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had indicated that Apple would split the App Store into two segments in iOS 17, with one version allowing sideloading from third-party app stores and the other retaining the current App Store structure.
The recent report does not clarify whether Apple intends to charge commissions from app developers for apps sideloaded from third-party app stores. Currently, Apple imposes a 27% commission on app developers for all in-app purchases.
Details about the review system to be implemented for apps sideloaded from third-party app stores remain unclear. If Apple does indeed review apps downloaded from external sources, it could potentially position the company to request commissions from developers.
An important point to highlight is that Apple’s decision to allow sideloading in iOS is specific to Europe, driven by the need to comply with the DMA. Users outside of Europe will not have access to this functionality.
Despite initial expectations for Apple to introduce sideloading in iOS 17 at the WWDC 2023 event, the latest information suggests that sideloading will be implemented with iOS 17.4, which is expected to be released soon.
Would you be willing to pay for sideloading in iOS 17? Share your opinions.
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