Apple will already have everything in place so that you can download apps to your devices in the European Union without having to go to the App Store. The change will come with the launch of two versions of the store, allowing it to comply with regional legislation without affecting other markets.
Thus, there will be one App Store for the countries of the European Union and another for the rest of the world. Mark Gurman, journalist Bloombergreported that the company would be willing to release this update “in the coming weeks”. And the deadline is approaching: the deadline set by the European Commission for companies to adapt to the new Digital Markets Act expires on March 7th. Just over seven weeks left.
Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook met with EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager. At the meeting, held at Apple Park, Vestager reminded Cook about the unresolved problem with the App Store. Apple will also have to allow developers They can promote their applications outside of the store and use third-party payment systems.
Apple has stated several times that permission sideloading – Installing applications from external sources will violate the privacy and security model of the iPhone and its other devices. But last year, European regulators ruled that the App Store is one of the “essential services” that must comply with the Digital Markets Act.
Can I enable downloads outside of the App Store in other countries?
iOS 16.2 already included a feature that allows Apple to limit system functions based on the user’s location, as reported last year. 9to5Mac. This feature ensures that only users in the European Union will be able to download apps outside of the App Store.
This move destroys one of Apple’s best businesses. Developers pay a commission of up to 30% of each sale in the App Store. The company generates between $6,000 million and $7,000 million worldwide each quarter from this product.According to Sensor Tower estimates. Now that downloading from a third-party store will be allowed, the company will likely reconsider reducing the cost and preventing significant leakage.
Apple will eventually have to implement the changes in other markets. Japan, for example, is also preparing its own antitrust legislation that would force the company to allow downloads outside the App Store. Like the European Union, Japanese regulators also want developers to be allowed to implement alternative payment methods in their apps. The rule is expected to be discussed later this year.
The US Department of Justice has also been investigating the App Store’s policies for years. Apple is also coming under greater scrutiny after it was revealed that Google paid it more than $26 billion in 2021 to make its search engine the default on Apple devices.
Source: Hiper Textual
I’m Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.
